The physiology and therapeutics of the Harrogate waters, baths, and climate applied to the treatment of chronic disease / by William Bain and Wilfrid Edgecombe.

  • Bain, William.
Date:
1905
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The physiology and therapeutics of the Harrogate waters, baths, and climate applied to the treatment of chronic disease / by William Bain and Wilfrid Edgecombe. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    in any accessible situation. It must not be assumed, however, that sciatica is regarded as invariably a neu- ritis. Probably this is so in but a small minority of cases, the large majority being cases either of pure neuralgia, or duo to inflammation of the sheath of the nerve—perineuritis—or to a fibrositis in the neighbour- hood of the nerve. The following points of distinction have been found useful. Pain which is practically con- stant and independent of movement, distinct tenderness down the course of the nerves, early and marked wasting of the muscles, and anaesthesia in the area supplied by superficial branches of the nerve, indicate a true neuritis. On the other hand, if the pain be brought on by move- ment, if tenderness be localised, if the muscles be not markedly wasted, and if there be no anaesthesia, the case is probably one of perineuritis. Lastly, if pain be the chief feature, and the other signs mentioned be absent, or present in a minor degree, the case is almost certainly neuralgic. The distinction is of importance as a guide to prognosis, for sciatic neuritis usually takes a much longer time to recover than sciatica of perineuritic or neuralgic origin. It may not be superfluous to insist on the im- portance of making a thorough examination before pro- nouncing a case to be one of simple sciatica. Patients have been sent to us for Spa treatment who were found to be suffering from malignant disease of the cervix uteri, secondary carcinoma of the pelvic bone, hip-joint disease, or diabetes. Hence the pelvis should be care- fully explored—especially if the sciatic pain be bilateral —the hip-joint and spine examined, and the urine invariably tested. Local treatment may begin with a series of hot sulphur baths preceded or followed by hot packs along