An essay on the prevention & rational treatment of lateral spinal curvature.

  • Roth, Mathias, 1839-1891.
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on the prevention & rational treatment of lateral spinal curvature. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    aperient pills, or of a mixture containing iron or bark, and not the slightest notice is taken of the patient's habits, mode of life, etc. 34. TREATMENT BY MECHANICAL SUPPORTS. Some medical men are satisfied to mark with ink every spinal process, while the patient's spine is considerably bent forward, and to look at the direction of these black spots while the patient is erect; if the line is not very crooked, not much notice is taken of the curve, which is left to nature for improve- ment, although it gets generally worse, when another medical man, vulgarly called a spinal doctor, is consulted, whose invariable practice is to order for the patient a mechanical support, more or less expensive according to the circum- stances of the patient; this support consists of a steel band fastened on the hips, which band serves as a point of sup- port for two crutches placed under the arm pits, while moveable steel plates are fixed to the verticals of the crutch to press upon the projecting ribs or shoulder blades. If the crutches raise the shoulders they scarcely diminish the weight of the super- incumbent spine upon the curve; if the steel plates press hard on the projecting ribs or shoulders (which projections are only the effects of the disease), these parts are partly absorbed, and the double object for which the support and pressure is pre- scribed is not obtained, but more injuries added to those already present. (See § 66.) 35. SAD EFFECTS OF THE TREATMENT BY VIOLENT PRESSURE. Other spinal doctors condemn their patients to a constant horizontal position, with daily friction and pressure of the projecting part; this pressure is done very violently, and the following is an extract from the letter of a patient treated in this way, addressed to her friend, who gave me this letter: My wretched bones were pressed on Tuesday for the first time, and though he only pressed with his hand for about three minutes, the effect no one would believe; all the strength I had has gone, almost; a general sensation of dislocation pervades the system, and exhaustion unto fainting if I remain on the