An inaugural essay on eclampsia or puerperal convulsions : for the degree of doctor of physic : submitted to the consideration of the Honorable Robert Smith, Provost, and of the regents of the University of Maryland / by James Coudon, of Elkton, Maryland.

  • Coudon, James.
Date:
May, 1813
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inaugural essay on eclampsia or puerperal convulsions : for the degree of doctor of physic : submitted to the consideration of the Honorable Robert Smith, Provost, and of the regents of the University of Maryland / by James Coudon, of Elkton, Maryland. 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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    le Having now concluded a consideration of the distinc- tion between those diseases, with which Eclampsia may be confounded, and having portrayed the nosological characters with as much precision as circumstances would admit, we will enquire into those causes which pro- duce the disease, and their action. I am well aware of the difficulties of this part of our subject, when so many eminent men have failed. PREDISPOSING CAUSE. From what has been said it must be evident, that pregnancy does predispose to this disease, the fact is so well established as to exclude every doubt: when we see causes producing effects, during the period of utero ges- tation, different from effects produced by the same causes, under other circumstances, we must conclude that preg- nancy predisposes to the production of those effects; hence when we see a violent passion or emotion of the mind sud- denly followed by Eclampsia, during gestation and partu- rition, or immediately subsequent to delivery, and at no other period, we must infer that this particular state of the uterine system, is the remote cause of the disease; this occurrence must be familiar to every practitioner. Dr. Hamilton juur. relates the case of a lady six or seven months advanced in pregnancy, who had a violent altercation with her husband, which was soon followed by convulsions which continued for a few hours and terminated in death: ano- ther lady in the sixth or seventh month of gestation, was prevailed on to dance, while passing the evening with a cheer- ful party; In the morning she was seized with symptoms threatening convulsions, which were soon followed by re- peated fits, and ended in death. Were it necessary wc might