On some of the principal effects resulting from the detachment of fibrinous deposits from the interior of the heart, and their mixture with the circulating blood / by William Senhouse Kirkes.

  • Kirkes, William Senhouse, 1823-1864.
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On some of the principal effects resulting from the detachment of fibrinous deposits from the interior of the heart, and their mixture with the circulating blood / by William Senhouse Kirkes. 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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    sometimes observed in rheumatic fever may, in some way, have its explanation in the transmission of fibrinous particles from the right valves of the heart to the lungs. The almost invariable existence of disease of the pulmonary or tricuspid valves in the fatal cases of rheumatic pneumonia I have examined after death strongly favours the opinion that there is some close relation between this peculiar inflamma- tion of the lungs and the fibrinous deposits on the right valves of the heart. In conclusion, let me briefly recapitulate the principal points I have endeavoured to establish to the satisfaction of the Society. They are, 1st, the general fact that fibrinous concretions on the valves or the interior of the heart admit of being readily detached during life, and miugled with the circulating blood: 2dly, that if detached and transmitted in large masses, they may suddenly block up a large artery, and so cut off the supply of blood to an important part; if in smaller masses, they may be arrested in vessels of much less size, and give rise to various morbid appearances in in- ternal organs; while, under other circumstances, the particles mingled with the blood may be extremely minute, possibly the debris of softened fibrine, yet in sufficient quantity and with sufficient power to produce a poisoned state of the circulating fluid, as manifested in the production of typhoid or phlebitic symptoms: 3dly, that the effects produced and the organs affected will be in great measure determined by the side of the heart from which the fibrinous masses have been detached; for, if the right valves have furnished the source of the fibrine, the lungs will bear the brunt of the secondary mischief, displaying it in coagula in the pul- monary arteries, and various forms of deposit in the pulmo- nary tissue: but if, as is far more commonly the case, the left valves are affected, the mischief is more widely spread, and may fall on any systemic part, but especially on those organs which, such as the brain, spleen, and kidneys, are largely and directly supplied with blood from the left side of the heart.