Dissertations, On cynanche trachealis or croup, and On the functions of the extreme capillary vessels in health and disease : to which were awarded the Boylston premiums for the years 1820 and 1823 / by William Sweetser.

  • Sweetser, William, 1797-1875.
Date:
1823
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dissertations, On cynanche trachealis or croup, and On the functions of the extreme capillary vessels in health and disease : to which were awarded the Boylston premiums for the years 1820 and 1823 / by William Sweetser. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    ation ought to be performed, and this should be as soon as the symptoms enable us to determine the nature of the disease. In no case is delay more dan- gerous ; the patient is constantly exposed to the risk of suffocation, which sometimes comes on very suddenly; the difficulty of breathing certainly produces so much constitutional disturbance, and the circulation of venous blood through the brain and other organs, causes so rapid an exhaustion of the vital powers, as are of them- selves extremely dangerous.'1* Many other physicians have strongly urged the necessity of performing bron- chotomy early in the disease, before the symptoms evince a fatal close to be at hand. Some have even said that it ought to be the first remedy employed in well marked cases of croup. To do the operation then with any hopes of success, I feel persuaded that it ought to be done early, that is, as soon as our other remedies have been proved to be unavailable. Though experience will not warrant me in offer- ing an opinion in relation to the expediency of this remedy in croup, still, from the authorities already adduced, and from many others which might be cited in its favour, I am disposed to consider its employment as not only justifiable, but even proper, where the symptoms do not yield to other remedies, and where there are not evident marks of considerable pulmonary disease. It must not be inferred, however, that much dependence is to be placed on the operation ; on the con- trary, I conceive the chance of its success to be ex- tremely small, yet there is a chance, because it has suc- ceeded ; and allowing it be ever so small, ought it not