An experimental inquiry into the 'Schott treatment' of certain diseases of the heart at Bad Nauheim / by R.L. Bowles.

  • Bowles, Robert L. (Robert Leamon), 1834-1913.
Date:
[1896]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An experimental inquiry into the 'Schott treatment' of certain diseases of the heart at Bad Nauheim / by R.L. Bowles. 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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    individual hearts, healthy and diseased, constantly vary in size, and, like the iris, the uterus, the arterial sj^stera, the abdominal viscera, and all parts supplied with involuntary muscular fibre, are subject to the influences of specific medicinal agents and to physical agents, such as heat and cold, light, electricity, and so forth. Since then I have collected together a large number of observations germane to the subject, and especially on localised and changing dilatation of the larger vessels. Physiological investigations of the last three years have placed the possibility of these variations in the size of the heart and blood-vessels beyond a doubt. Being painfully aware of my own shortcomings in ensuring accuracy of measurement and position in the many diseases and derangements to which a movable organ like the heart is susceptible, I was not at all prepared to accept in a scientific sense, without further inquiry, the definite statements of Dr. Bezly Thorne that the diminution of the heart’s size could be so induced in a short time as to be measured in centimetres. On presenting Dr. Hermann Weber’s letter of introduction to Dr. Schott, and saying what I wished to see, he said, “ lake this list of patients, see them, examine for yourself, take notes of their condition, and I will talk with you this evening; but come with me now, I will introduce you to Dr- Heineman, an American physician, Avho has had a larger experience of my method than anyone else, and he will hdp you in any way you want, hut you must examine for yourself.” I found that I had to deal with a man of instant action, lesistless energy, and simple nature, whose whole wish was to establish the truth of his system for the good of humanity, and for the memory of his brother, to whom entirely, so he in his modesty says, the merits of the discovery are due. In Dr. Heineman I found a gentleman who had held high hospital appointments in his own country as a pathological, medical, and clinical teacher, and who had come to Nauheim' for eight seasons on account of his only child, who bad made there a most astonishing recovery from degraded healtli with hoemophiha anti many distressing complications. At first Dr. Heineman did not closely investigate Dr