An inquiry how far consumption is curable : with observations on the treatment, and cases illustrating the efficacy of cod-liver oil / by James Turnbull.

Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inquiry how far consumption is curable : with observations on the treatment, and cases illustrating the efficacy of cod-liver oil / by James Turnbull. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    in consequence of the want of accommodation for the numbers who apply, allows the disease to advance, and thus renders the treatment more difficult and less successful than it would otherwise have been. Still, under such unfavourable circumstances, it is satisfactoiy to find, that in nearly 0 per cent, of the cases of this disease, considered by many to be beyond the reach of treatment, a result has been obtained, which a desire not to speak too confidently alone forbids to designate as cure.” When I speak of treatment, I shall have occasion to show that still more favourable results were obtained in those cases where cod-liver oil was used; but the facts advanced in the preceding inquiry, and the statistical proofs now adduced, justify me in stating, that a close examination of this disease proves that it is not, as has been generally believed, utterly hopeless and incurable—a view which would paralyse all our efforts at treatment. Whilst, therefore, “ we must pause, ere we in future pass the terrible sentence of no hope on the consumptive in- valid”,1 * it becomes also our duty to redouble our efforts to save such patients. ANTAGONISTIC DISEASES. The investigation of the favourable circumstances under which spon- taneous recovery takes place, has scarcely received the attention it deserves.3 There are, however, a few facts in reference to antagonistic diseases, which bear upon this point, and to which I must allude before entering upon the treatment. Emphysema of the lungs is a disease which undoubtedly tends to prevent the development of tubercles, and a moderate degree of it must therefore favour recoveiy from Consumption. I have seen some cases which have convinced me of this; and the researches of Rokitansky and Hasse confirm what I have observed. A gentleman, aged 38, who was of rather weak constitution, and had suffered slightly for a considerable time from cough and shortness of breath, became much worse in the end of September 1847, and soon after consulted me, with the usual symptoms of Consumption. lie had very troublesome cough, with muco-purulent expectoration. He had become very thin and weak, and had also profuse perspirations at night; and to these symptoms was afterwards added haemoptysis. There was increased clearness of sound ou percussion; but this affecting the summit of the lungs chiefly, rendered it difficult to ascertain, by physical exa- mination, to what extent tubercles might he deposited, though the symptoms left no doubt as to their presence. He had persistent pain in the left side of the chest, rather low down, and just below the level of the left nipple; where there were, while the spitting of blood lasted, a few bubbles of mucous rhonchus, indicating that this was the seat of the dis- ease. Having observed the antagonistic effect of emphysema in other cases, I ventured, notwithstanding the apparently hopeless character of the symptoms to hold out some prospect of recoveiy. The spitting of blood was stopped by means of turpentine ; and counter-irritation, by croton-oil liniment, and the use of sedatives, with expectorants, relieved 1 Williams (C. J, B., M.D.) Cod-liver Oil in Consumption. London Journal of Medicine, January 1849. 3 Bacon. “ Homo natural minister et interpres tantum facit et intelligit quan- tum de natural ordine re vel meute observaverit, nec amplius scit aut potest.”