To Dr. Cormack, editor of Association Medical Journal.

  • Macloughlin, David, 1786-1870.
Date:
[1855]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: To Dr. Cormack, editor of Association Medical Journal. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    that I had been disturbed from my dinner, adding that his case Avas not urgent; that he felt as strong as ever, that he had nothing the matter with him but a slight diarrhoea, which did not annoy him, and which he had had on him for about two months ; and a slight weakness of his voice, which prevented him from speaking loud, and which he had remarked for a few days. While he was thus speaking, he put out his hand to me: the skin was blue, icy cold, and covered with the icy, clammy dew of death ; he had no pulse at his wrist, nor could I discover any beating of his heart by applying my ear to his chest ; his eyes were sunk in their orbit, and the skin of the face had a blueish tinge. After a few questions I joined his friends in the next room, and I gave them my opinion that the gentleman was in the utmost danger, that I apprehended he would not survive twelve hours: and I immediately dispatched them for further medical advice. I returned to the patient, who was preparing to dress for dinner, and AVhile he was speaking to me, he suddenly vomited, without any previous warning, ejecting the contents of his stomach to above ten feet from the place where he stood ; and a moment after his bowels were suddenly relieved before he could move from where he was, and before he could remove his clothes ; the next moment he was struck down by spasms in his extremities. This gentleman was of superior cast of mind, anxious to avoid danger, but despising danger when he met it. He at once named his disease, and requested me to do all that could be done to save his life. Having in such cases tried and seen tried by others, without success, all that had been recommended, excepting bleeding, which was strongly advised by Professor Broussais and his disciples, I determined to have recourse to bleeding. It was useless to attempt to open a vein : I decided on opening the temporal artery, but no blood flowed. After having explained to the patient what I was going to do, I opened the brachial artery, and here also no blood flowed.