Early Victorian Medicine

[RichardB]

ASCITES

Uriah Mitchell, 30, labourer was admitted into the Infirmary Sep 21 1839.

He states that he has been ill for a month or five weeks, but was able to continue at his usual employment till within a fortnight of his admission.

His work being out of doors he has been much exposed to severe weather, and attributes his present complaints to the combined influence of cold and wet.

His habits have been temperate and he never had jaundice.

He says that his disease began with swelling of the abdomen without pain; the bowels had been confined for a few days before the attac,k but are not so habitually.

At present there is considerable tumefaction of the abdomen with dulness on percussion, when he assumes the erect posture, and distinct sense of fluctuation; passes only a small quantity of high coloured urine, bowels regular, pulse 90, tongue clean, countenance pale and haggard.

Medicines used :

Mercurial pill

Turpentine enema

Mercurial liniment rubbed on adbomen morning and night

Infus. of Digitalis

Tincture of cantharides

Solution of bichloride of mercury

Bitartrate of Potass

Gamboge

Nitrate of Potass

Supertart. of Potass and gamboge

Solution of acetate of ammonia

Camphor mixture

Spirit of nitrous ether

Saline diamorphic

Extract of elaterium

Gin wth sugar and water

Castor oil

Infus. of cascarilla

Carbonate of ammonia

all in a seven day period.

28th - 4 am, became delirious, 5 am coma, death occurred at 2 pm.

Read more, page 372

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I'm sure that quantity and mix of medicines would have kept Keith Moon happy for an afternoon.

[RichardB]

Also Hydrophobia - Post mortem appearances 1839

Page 283 ...

A female attendant stated that nine hours after death the upper part of the body was so warm as almost to induce her to believe that the man was not dead; the lower extremities were, at the same time, quite cold.

(This two days after he died).