On the medical properties of the natural order Ranunculaceae : and more particularly on the uses of sabadilla seeds, Delphinium staphisagria, and Aconitum napellus, and their alcaloids, verateria, sabadilline, delphinia, and aconitine / by A. Turnbull.

  • Turnbull, Alexander, 1794 or 1795-1881.
Date:
1838
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the medical properties of the natural order Ranunculaceae : and more particularly on the uses of sabadilla seeds, Delphinium staphisagria, and Aconitum napellus, and their alcaloids, verateria, sabadilline, delphinia, and aconitine / by A. Turnbull. 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.)

    27/74
    The action of the heart is strong, constant, and concentrated in a space over the situation of the apex, and communicates a powerful impulse to any thing placed on it; the pulse is very full, throbbing, and) incompressible; the carotid arteries beat violently, and the patient complains much of the noise in her ear, and of giddiness she has also confusion of ideas, and a feeling of heat and fulness in ine Head. She has considerable anxiety, and her sleep is interrupted by palpitation. There is some pain in the region of the heart • and all these symptoms are materially augmented by exertion ; but'this irom the sensation of lassitude which she almost constantly labours under, cannot be made to any great extent. The bowels are generally costive, and require the employment ol active purgatives, which are the only medicines capable of re- moving the uneasy feelings of the patient, to any degree; the digestive Junctions are very active, and the appetite preternaturally^reat She complains neither of difficulty of breathing, cough, nor pain in the arm. In the previous treatment of this case nothing had been found useful, and as it did not appear that any bad consequence could arse from the external application of the Veratria, it was ordered to be rubbed over the region of the heart, in the usual manner, after purgatives had been administered, for a few days to regulate the bowels. After the first or second friction with the ointment, all the symptoms were materially diminished in intensity; the palpitation had greatly subsided ; the pulse had become much softer and weaker; the anxiety, the pulsation in the head, the feeling of giddiness, the confusion of intellect, and the sensation of whizzing in the ear had all disappeared, and the general health and appearance of the patient were much improved ; but still some of the symptoms remained, not, however, to such a degree as to occasion inconvenience, and she is' now in a comfortable state, and able to follow her household em- ployments; though exertion, to any great extent, cannot be used without aggravating her complaints. From the manifest benefit experienced from the Veratria ointment, she uses it herself when- ever, from any cause, an increase in the symptoms takes place, and with the effect of procuring immediate relief. CASE VIII. A gentleman, aged about sixty, of a weak constitution, of seden- tary habits, and given to mental occupations, has laboured, for seven years, under slight palpitation, accompanied by feelings of anxiety and general languor, coming on at intervals, and increased by exer- tion ; his pulse is feeble, rapid, and intermitting; palpitation over the lower part of the left side, not excessive, but attended with a painful sensation in the region of the heart, which is so augmented by walking, especially against the wind, as to compel him to stop and support himself on the nearest object. Respiration generally 3*