OCR Text |
Show qffever. .Morbid anatomy The other cavities not examined.----(ib. 247.) In a tract, which bears every mark of faith~ ful, close, and even laborious observation, Dr. Eisfield gives the following account of an acute typhus, as itprevailed at Leipsic in 1799, (Lexi/mic, 1800-1) and of the dissections which it furnished him with an opportunity of making. It was very difficult to distinguish at first, because it attacked in such various ways; some: times assuming an inflammatory appearance, some times that of rheumatism, and sometimes that \JJUH 1 "ll/AH of the slow nervous fever, describedby the elder Frank as not arising from contagion and but rarely occuringepidemically. This was evidently contagious. All its symptoms were joined with violence and fury ; ' and there existed great pro" pensity to internal inflammations, which is not the case with what is called slow nervous feverj though this sometimes originate from preceding inflammation. In our typhus a crisis occurred on the 21st, oftener on the 1 1th, sometimes on the 14th, and the 7th day. " I observed that all the functions were impaired, but chiefly the vital and animal, which almost always exhibited the same symptoms, so that from these the pathog» nomonic signs, if any such signs belong to this fever, are to be taken. From The respiration, difficult, anxious, and in the progress of the complaint, short, spasmodic and panting, proved how much the vital functions were affected. And what physiologist or pathologist could fail to perceive how much this was the case with theanimal functions from the extreme irritation of the nerves and failure of strength, the great perturbation of the oifices of the brain, the strain (intentio) upon all the organs, and the singular union of weakness and irritability? The perpetual tossing of the sick, their vain attempts to rise, or sinking back and fainting if they do, their tremors, convulsions, delirium, terrifying dreams, fancying they see spectres, abundantly declare that the brain and nerves are deeply affected." 1). 23. - - " In very many careful dissections of the brain (though Ionly once detected an abscess, and this was in the right hemisphere, about half an inch in diameter), the vessels, particularly those in the vascular membranes, al~ most always appeared turgid with blood. The four ventricles abounded with water, and somc~ times agood deal of extravasated blood was present. The cortical substance was inflamed, soft and flaccid; and the vessels ofthe brain were no longer firmly united with it. The lungs were often found destroyed, inflamed, 111‘ cerated, gangrenous, covered with much ex- the pulse suded lymph. alone nothing certain could be concluded. The The heart, and larger vessels E either )Wiw‘u‘,-Izv-*~'_ "I'm". tending along these nerves and an inch into the cavity of the spine, cerebellum very soft.- 49 ‘wec--W¢‘ 48 |