The doctor at home and nurse's guidebook / edited by George Black.

Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The doctor at home and nurse's guidebook / edited by George Black. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    603/684 (page 553)
    was customary to judge of the in- tensity of the fever by the sensa- tion of heat imparted to the hand of I the observer, as well as by the fre- quency and character of the pulse and the symptoms in general. In addition to these methods of obser- vation, we now ascertain the actual ! temperature of the body by means of a clinical thermometer, made for the purpose, the bulb being usually placed in the patient’s armpit or :i mouth. The temperature thus l| taken in healthy persons is 98'4° F. ! It is found to be the same in all per- sons in health and in all latitudes, with slight variations. It is there- i fore called the norme, or normal temperature. Transient variations within a degree do not indicate disease, especially in childhood, at which period of life the temperature is more easily influenced than afterwards. In shock, collapse and immediately after the loss of blood, the temperature falls ; very great activity causes it to rise, as does in- flammation of an acute character. An increase of a degree or a degree and a half that is continuous indi- cates fever. The thermometer in fever often rises to 102° or 104°. If it reach 1050 in continued fever, the case is grave ; a temperature of 1060, which does not promptly fall, indicates great danger and above this a fatal result is almost inevit- able, if sustained for any length of time. In periodical fevers, when the rise in temperature is of short dura- tion, it is frequently very high. In fatal cases of acute rheumatism it may reach 109° or no°, and it may even reach no° or exceed that in sunstroke, which is a fever of great intensity. In many instances, where death takes place in conse- quence of the rapid overwhelming increase of the heat of the body, the temperature rises a degree or even more during the first hour or so after life is extinct. THIGH-BONE, THE The thigh-bone is articulated by means of a large round head deeply sunk into a corresponding hollow in the pelvis ; freedom of motion being thus combined with great security. The thigh may be moved backwards and forwards, as in walking ; and also outwards and inwards, as when sitting on horse- back, or with the legs crossed. The socket being much deeper than that of the shoulder-joint, the thigh- bone has not the same range of motion as the humerus, but it has proportionally greater security. THIGH, FRACTURE OF THE A case of broken thigh is the most difficult to undress. The injury is in itself a serious one and is liable to become much more so by rough or clumsy handling. In a case of this kind, the bed-clothes should all be turned back to the foot of the bed and the patient placed in the middle, having previ- ously taken care to protect the under sheet with a rubber cloth, if the clothes are dirty. If the patient be a male, remove the coat, waistcoat and collar as gently as possible. The outer seam of the trouser leg containing the injured limb should then be ripped up until the trousers are completely open, waistband included. The buttons should then be unfastened (the sheet being first thrown over the patient to prevent unnecessary ex- posure), and the cut trouser leg drawn with the utmost care and gentleness from under the whole length of the leg to the inside, the hand being slipped under the thigh,