Researches on the pathology of the brain. Part III. On the organic diseases of the brain / by John Abercrombie.

Date:
[1819]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Researches on the pathology of the brain. Part III. On the organic diseases of the brain / by John Abercrombie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    6/36
    brain, according to their symptoms, they seem naturally to be divided into eight classes. I. The first class is distinguished by long continued and se- vere headach, without any other remarkable symptom. The pain varies very much in its seat and in its severity; some cases, it occurs in paroxysms so as to resemble periodical headach ; in other cases there is constant pain, but with .pa- roxysms of aggravation. It is sometimes an acute lancinating pain, dartinof across the head from temple to temple; sometimes a more obtuse and fixed uneasiness, often referred to some par- ticular part of the head, as the crown or the back o. the head. In many cases it is accompanied by a violent throbbing, and this may be general, or it may be referred to a particular part, as the back of the head, or one temple. In the more violent paroxysms the pain is intense, obliging the patient to remain fora considerable time in one position, the shghtest motion aggravating it to perfect torture; and sometimes there is tran- sient delirium. In the earlier stages, and in some cases through a great part of the course of the disease, the symptoms sufler remarkable remissions, so as to deceive a superficial observer in reward to the real nature of the disease, and often to be'^considered as periodical headach, sick headach, or headach connected with dyspepsia. The latter supposition is county nanced by the stomach being frequently much disordered, and the more vioLnt attacks being often accompanied by v^ mitinw. The diagnosis is sometimes difficult, but, by ^tention, it may generally be made with tolerable precision. The long duration and violence of the pain will lead to a fjispjcion that the complaint is something more than common .^^dach ; and though the stomach is at times much disordered, it will found that the complaints in the head do not keep pace with the state ■ of the stomach, but that they are often most severe when no. disorder that can account for them exists in the stomach. I he. patient generally cannot bear a warm room, the noise of com-- pfnv, of the exertion of cheerful conversation, without being; distressed, and his headach increased. The same effect is pro- S by wine and all bodily exertions. He seeks fiute nesv coolness,^ and darkness. In these respects the disease differe- from dyspeptic headach, which is usually relieved or dissipated, bv activity and cheerful company. Sometimes the paioxysi are accompanied by vomiting, and sometimes by violent throb- ■ binw in th^iead. If, along with these severe local symptoms,. thel’ace be pale and the pulse feeble, as is often the case, and ■ the whole appearance indicating the reverse of plethora, organi