Remarks on delirium tremens, or the irritative fever of drunkenness : an inaugural dissertation, submitted to the examination of the faculty of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of the University of the State of New York, John Watts, Jun. ... for the degree of Doctor of Medicine / by Charles Stuart Tripler, April 3d, 1827.

  • Tripler, Chas. S. (Charles Stuart), 1806-1866.
Date:
1827
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on delirium tremens, or the irritative fever of drunkenness : an inaugural dissertation, submitted to the examination of the faculty of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of the University of the State of New York, John Watts, Jun. ... for the degree of Doctor of Medicine / by Charles Stuart Tripler, April 3d, 1827. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    Opium is, in its primary operation, a highly diffusible sti- mulant, and to justify its employment, there must be a degree of prostration : but if given when there is much excitement, it only increases that excitement, together with the conges- tions, to which there is always a strong disposition in this dis- ease. Hence probably have arisen the prejudices entertained against its employment, by so many respectable physicians. To suppose that opium will answer every indication, in all stages of the disease, is not only visionary, but idle and ha- zardous in the extreme. It is necessary that the system should be properly prepared for its exhibition before it is commenced with. In the early stages of the disease, there is usually a considerable degree of excitement, with heat of skin, and great restlessness. This is the proper time for the use of antimoiw and purgatives; and opium given at this period, would be productive of more injury than benefit. But after the stage of excitement shall have passed over, when the pulse has become small and frequent, the skin cool, the surface of the body covered with the cold sweat, the limbs violently agi- tated, and no sleep has been procured for some time,—then is the time for giving opium. If any benefit is to be expected from it, it must now be given faithfully and liberally. Dr. Armstrong observes, that under the most unpromising cir- cumstances, a combination of calomel and opium will some- times succeed; and whenever there is ground for doubting the propriety of evacuations, it should be administered in preference to any other expedient. As to the manner of exhibiting this combination, he remarks: Two or three grains of calomel, with a grain and a half of opium, every six or eight hours, will be sufficient doses of these medicines on the first day of their administration; and after that period, it will be better commonly to lessen the quantity of opium: and as soon as the action of the calomel is at all developed on the gums, or salivary glands, it should be entirely omitted, as its effects for the most part continue to increase for a few days afterward. This, I am compelled to say, from what I have seen of the disease, appears to me to be but temporising treat- ment. The learned author gave the calomel to equalise the