Researches on the chemical and medical properties of the root of kahinca / by Messrs. Francois, Caventou & Pelletier ; a memoir read at the Royal Academy of Sciences (Institute,) the 27th December, 1820 ; (extracted from the Journal general of medicine, May 1830) ; translated by John Baxter, M. D.

  • François, André, 1775-1840.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Researches on the chemical and medical properties of the root of kahinca / by Messrs. Francois, Caventou & Pelletier ; a memoir read at the Royal Academy of Sciences (Institute,) the 27th December, 1820 ; (extracted from the Journal general of medicine, May 1830) ; translated by John Baxter, M. D. 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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    the legs are almost natural. The 30th July and 1st August, eight grains in two doses. The 3d, ten grains ; the urine flowed in abundance ; there was no more swelling. The patient was discharged on the 9th. No. 9. Collected at Hotel Dieu,* same Hall, No. 74. Clement Brunet, aged thirty-four years, washerwoman, is affected with anasarca of the inferior extremities. The skin is distended, and there is perceived here and there, particularly on the calf, swellings containing a red serosity. The patient complains of a continual coldness of the extremities, and of vivid pain extending from the great trochanter to the external maleolus of the left side : she has little appetite, no thirst; other- wise the belly is free, and the digestive passages are in a good state. The cause of these affections is attri- buted by the woman to this : that, being in a sweat after a painful labour, she was obliged to go into the cellar, and remain there some time. Several modes of treatment have been fruitlessly put in operation, for the six months that the disease has lasted. The 29th July, twenty grains of the extract : the pills having been taken with extreme repugnance, and vomited almost instantly, we thought that since the kahinca acted par- ticularly on the large intestines, we might administer it in a glyster. Thirty grains, dissolved in a pound of warm water, were then injected, and produced seven stools, accompanied with intestinal cholic, and follow- ed with much urine during the following night. We thought we remarked that the swelling of the left thigh softened. In fact, during the two first days of August, the urine having continued to flow very abundantly, the thigh and right leg were very much diminished ; this extremity was soon reduced to its usual size, as well as the left, which only preserved a slight oedema around the knee and maleolus. In consequence of a quart in- jection, with the addition of thirty grains of extract, which was taken the 3d August, ten waters and stools took place without cholic, and the urine flowed in such * Dr. Clemencon visited with us all the patients which we treated at the Hotel Dieu, and assisted us often with his advice.