An essay on spermatorrhoea, and urinary deposits with observations on the nature, causes and treatment of the various disorders of the generative system : illustrated by numerous interesting cases.

  • Dawson, Richard, active 1661.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on spermatorrhoea, and urinary deposits with observations on the nature, causes and treatment of the various disorders of the generative system : illustrated by numerous interesting cases. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    S P E KM AT 0 RE, H CE A. ease being pronounced softening of the brain. Dr. Sutherland prescribed alteratives, which were carefully administered under the superintendence of a very intelligent surgeon, the son of Mr. Birkett, the proprietor of the Northumberland House Asylum, where he had been placed, or rather to which he had been transferred. At length paralysis supervened; the general health declined, he became helpless, and most fortunately, mentally imbecile and senseless, and at last, sunk the victim of his remorseless malady. By permission of his friends, the body was submitted to ana- tomical examination, which was conducted in the presence of Mr. Birkett, Jun., myself, and another professional gentleman. The brain and spinal marrow were sliced into the thinest pos- sible layers, and these very minutely examined by Mr. Birkett* an excellent and practised microscopical observer, and were found remarkably healthy, the heart, lungs, liver, and abdo- minal viscera generally, perfectly free from all appearance of disease. The bladder unusually small and contracted, the muscular fibres, however, well developed. The mucous coat highly in- jected, and of a rose-red colour, more especially about the sphincter and trigone. From the prostate, when cut into, a muco-puculent matter exuded. The ejaculatory ducts were patulous, and many of the hardness and consistence of cartilage. The testicles not even half the natural size, and of a pale and nearly bloodless appearance. Vesiculae seminales enlarged, but soft and flaccid, and when cut into, poured out a muco-puculent looking matter. Observations.—I presume it is only necessary to read the above history, and bestow a moment’s reflection upon the mor- bid appearances, to refer the whole of the symptoms and the unfortunate result of this case, to the derangements of the ge- nerative system. I, by no means, infer that the morbid condi- tions in the structures of this system, abstractedly considered, would account for either the paralysis, the insanity, or the fatal results ; but we know that the generative functions exert such actions upon the nervous system, as to incapacitate the latter for