Conspectus medicinae theoreticae : a view of the theory of medicine ; in two parts: Part I. Containing physiology and pathology. Part II. Containing therapeutics / a new ed., carefully rev. throughout. Translated from the original Latin.

  • Gregory, James, 1753-1821.
Date:
1833
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Conspectus medicinae theoreticae : a view of the theory of medicine ; in two parts: Part I. Containing physiology and pathology. Part II. Containing therapeutics / a new ed., carefully rev. throughout. Translated from the original Latin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

    134/460 (page 122)
    A VIEW OF THE ciallyrwhen salt is taken plentifully with the food, and there is but little water or other drink at hand, first to dilute it, and afterward to wash it out of the system. This disorder sailors commonly know too well, when they are obliged to live many months on sea stores alone. 536. For this corruption of the body, (535-) if that which so* pervenes spontaneously is to be accounted such, nature suggests a suitable remedy; namely, fresh food, especially that prepared from vegetables, which, being acescent, corrects the putrescent tendency of the system, and supplies it with salutary nourish- ment. 537. But when there is a deficiency of such food, the body seems to be more quickly corrupted, and a singular acrimony and tenuity of the fluids are alleged to be generated ; especially when, at the same time, there is a deficiency of water, and the excretions, which convey putrid and acrid matters out of the system, are languid from cold, indolence, torpor, depressing pas- sions, or diseases attended with prostration of strength ; or, in a word, when excessive heat is present, which always favours such corruption. 538. Farther, medical men have been of opinion, that, on some occasions, the fluids had a more rapid progress to putrescency, . when a putrid ferment was received into the system; as in cer- tain fevers proceeding from contagion, especially when assisted by heat, animal food, certain salts, debility, and want of clean- liness. 539. Lastly, on many occasions, a particular part of the body becomes evidently putrid, from various causes, as inflammation, gangrene, or excessive cold, and sometimes infects the whole, system; though, fpr the most part, such a disease proves fatal, before the whole body can be hurried into putrefaction. 540. It has long been an article of the firmest belief with al- . most all medical men, that where the mass of blood acquires much putrescency, it not only becomes acrid, but is dissolved, congealed with difficulty, shews a thin and scanty crassamen- tqm, while the red particles are dissipated and broken down; that the blood, thus become dissolved and acrid, owing partly to evolving its peculiar salt, partly to its fibrine becoming rancid^ and putrid, consequently stimulates and erodes all the vessels,. and escapes from them; that it,produces blotcbefi.at first red*