Practical remarks on the treatment of spermatorrhoea and some forms of impotence : reprinted and enlarged from the original papers in the Lancet / by John L. Milton.

  • Milton, J. L. (John Laws), 1820-1898.
Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Practical remarks on the treatment of spermatorrhoea and some forms of impotence : reprinted and enlarged from the original papers in the Lancet / by John L. Milton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    by tlifi feeling of plethora In the testes. Ho was tired of medicines of every kind (he had taken a great deal before he applied to me),^ I therefore sanctioned his leaving them oft and advised a blister ; this relieved the sense of fulness in the testes and the discharges at stool; but leaving oft' the medicine brought on a return of all the old symptoms, lassi- tude, constipation, 8:c. Quinine in small doses with acid, was recommended till this should pass off, and though this medicine never agreed very well with liim, yet he grew rapidly stronger under its use. At the end of fourteen weeks from his first visit, he had so far improved, that during the last mouth only three emissions had occurred —those at stool had quite left him—and there had been only two emissions in the daytime, both under the influence of great excitement. He was now recommended to persevere steadily in carrying out, unas- sisted, the plan traced out for him, espe- cially the gj'mnastics, and he left me. A month after I received a hasty note from him to say he wished to see me before going abroad. When he came he told me the emissions were almost gone, and his health was greatly improved. He still looked very pale and delicate. I took advantage of the opportunity to touch the membranous and prostatic part of the urethra very gently with nitrate of silver, but the canal was so sensitive it was only with difiiculty I accom- plished my task. Then I recommended him to continue as he had begun, and wished him good bye. I have not seen him since. Case 15.—Night Emissions.—Mr. O , a young and very delicate gentleman, applied to me March 10, 1854, with this affection, from which he had suft'ered occasionally for some years. During the last twelve months, in consequence of an attack of gonorrhoea, he had been getting much worse, and lat- terly all sensation was wanting when the semen traversed the urethra, the erections becoming in a corresponding degree weaker. He complained of his feet being very cold at nights, of headache, constipation, and indi- gestion, with flushing and heat in the face after eating, especially after dinner. On pulling back the prepuce a quantity of seba- ceous matter was seen. This I told him to wasli carefully away every day, and pre- scribed five grains of nitrate of potass, and 1 drachm of sulph. magnes. dissolved in red syrup and mint water, three times a day; g. V. of rhubarb pill and 1 drachm of spir. camph. occasionally at night. On the 23rd he called to say that he had no emission since he began the treatment. He had taken the medicines regularly, and had carclully removed all the sebaceous matter; tho insldo of the prcpuco was in- deed quite clean, though tender. The indi- gestion and flushing had almost ceased to trouble him, and he felt that he was growing daily stronger. As he was about to leave town for some months, I prescribed for two or three weeks at a time the use of gr. i. of quinine thrice daily, with an aperient, and the regular practice of gymnastics and cold sponging, requesting him to inform me if any relapse took place, which he pro- mised to do. I have not heard from him since. Case Nocturnal Emissions. Impend- ing Impotence.—A gentleman, age twenty- six, of healthy constitution, regular habits, alistemious, fond of exercise and society, ap- plied to me in March, 1854. He had been taught masturbation when about fourteen years of age, and had continued it about two or three years. Alarmed, about the age of nineteen, by what he had read respecting the destructive nature of this folly, he had reso- lution enough to break it off, but not before emissions commenced, which continued to trouble him more or less till the present pe- riod. He never applied to any surgeon, but sedulously endeavoured to counteract the in- roads of disease by regular active habits. He did not himself take a very sanguine view of his case, nor did I ; still, there was a good deal in his favour. His constitution was good, digestion and bowels in order, if anything inclined to costiveness, urine clear, tongue a little rough. He neither smoked, nor gave way to any indulgence, and the emissions did not occur very frequently, happening sometimes once or twice in a week or ten days, and sometimes they were absent for three weeks. The emissions were always accompanied by the proper sensation on connexion ; but they took place too soon, and the erections were not always perfect. He walked a good deal, but did not cultivate gymnastics. Having prescribed the nitrate of potass for a few days, as in the foregoing cases, I instructed him in the use of the camphor and ordered strychnine. This treatment he continued regularly ; it rendered the tongue cleaner, the urine some- what pale, and produced a feeling of im- proved healih ; for, although he had so little to complain of, he now, he said, felt lighter and more full of hope. Little change, how- ever, in the seminal emissions had taken place at the end of six weeks, and he began with the tinct. ferri mur., in doses of fifteen drops twice a day, gradually raising the quantity. At the expiration of eighty-eight days from his first visit he informed me that he had only had one emission in the last six weeks; his longue had grown quite smooth,