[ 576. } 
REPORT OF 
DISEASES, 
Under the care of the late senior Physician of the Finsbury Dispensary, from the 
20h of November to the 20th of December. 
_—_—_ia 
CARLATINA 
WEGtHinid C's ese ee PA LP fe eee 
Vermes 
Amenorrhea sescsesesereees, cele 
ee ee 
er 
5 
SS HS a Sep: Netets Grae 
4 
WM pStee Oe ie HfL Se as see ae, 
Hypochondriasis et Dyspepsia -..----. 7 
Moxbilnfantiles: «ors lessens <nisicien snementS, 
TAGESSA 92 patelats opapaceyn yet = Gereeawiane iogehais aia 
TYP ONG: pies) ove silaie nine siofe cimariei nina comy 4 
' Two cases of Scarlatina have occurred 
in the same.family, under the care of the 
Reporter, one of which proved fatal. In 
this case there was no opportunity of ap- 
plying the cold affusion, which the writer 
of this article has found eminently advan- 
tageous and almost uniformly: successful 
in preserving the life of the patient. 
‘Yo the late and mucli-lamented Dr. 
Currie,*the invalid part of the public have 
been incalculably indebted for the more 
veneral extension of this practice in 
febrile diseases, which, although dis- 
tinguished by. separate names, are all 
members of one family; their colour 
is varfous, but their character is for the 
most part essentially the same. This 
elass of maladies shews more decidedly 
perhaps than any other the-change of con- 
stitution which has taken place from the 
alteration ef habits, and other circum- 
stances of society. Vbe human frame 
has dwindled in its vigour, at least, if not, 
Iniits size; we are now scarcely capable 
of inflammation ; we cannot arise to the 
elevation’ of phiogistic diathesis ; except 
from local injury of organs, there are few 
modern cases in which the debilitating or 
evacuating plan can be adopted with im- 
punity, or even without imminent peril to 
the patient. 
The practice of Sydenham, wise as it 
wasin his ime, would prove injurious in 
ours. OF all things veuesection, in fe- 
brile cases at least, ought to beat present 
regarded a5 a most miscliievous absurdity, 
There is now’ no superabandance in the 
veins of our countrymen. We may be 
imperiously called upon to spill our blood 
* Upon the name of Currie the Reporter 
Joves ‘to lingereea man whose character con- 
tained all that is beautiful in virtue, and all 
that isadmirable in genius. The value of his 
learning was not depreciated by the alloy of 
pedantry, and the solidity of his peculiarly 
professional attainments was embellished by 
the elegancies of a more general and polite 
literature, 
for our political, but seldom, ifever, are 
we required to do so for the welfare of 
our physical, constitution, The lancet, that 
minute instrument of mischief, has per- 
formed perbapsmore havoc than thesword. 
The former has been, at least equally 
with the other, hostile to the human spe~ 
cies. If every lancet were allowed to 
rust, in spite of many exceptions where’ 
its use is necessary, there can be little 
doubt but that, upon’ the whole, there’ 
would be an inconceivable saving of ex- 
istence, and of health. In such observa- 
tions the reporter is very remote from 
wishing to lessen the value, or to degrade’ 
the dignity, of a profession, which, when 
liberally practised, and scientifically un- 
derstood, ranks perhaps, in rational esti- 
mation, higher than anyother that is con- 
nected merely with the interests of this 
world. During the last month three mars 
tyrs tu asthnia have placed themselves 
under the care of the Reporter. Itisa 
disease equally interesting and distressing. 
For the most part, it is allied to a superior 
degree of intellect, and to a more than 
ordinary acuteness and vividity of mental 
perception, and of physical sensation. In 
consequence of which it is that we’ 
find it so often associated with some 
mode of hypochondriasis,, and with 9 
gloomy and unbridled irritability. 
The other day the Reporter wasvisited 
by a remarkable subject of this kind: he 
evidently possessed a cultivated mind, 
and appeared to be of an amiable tem- 
per, although it was clouded by the sha- 
dows of a dyspeptic imagination, The 
disease of which he complains, he attri- 
butes, in’ the manuscript account of his 
pase, in part to the operation of political 
and moral causes. ‘‘ He was frequently, 
in the country, in the habit of hearing 
the sentiments of some persons who en- 
tertained desponding sentiments on poli- 
tical subjects—and of one gentleman in _ 
particular, of great powers of mind, but 
very hypochondriacal, who represented 
every thing in the most gloomy point of 
view. Impressions of this nature once 
received, he finds it very difficult to era~ 
dicate. “A habit of thinking on moral 
subjects, and the cultivation of a refined 
moral feeling, do but ill qualify him for 
the study and practice of the law.” 
In cases of constitutional melancholy, 
little is to be expected from change of 
climate, 
