INTRODUCTION. 43 



Symptoms may again be divided into diagnostic, prognostic, 

 pathognomonic, therapeutic. They may be active (dynamical), pas- 

 sive (statical), positive (direct), negative (indirect). 



What is understood by a pathognomonic or pathognos- 

 tic symptom ? 



A pathognomonic symptom is a symptom or set of symptoms 

 peculiar to any particular disease. Two or more symptoms are usu- 

 ally required to make them pathognostic ; for instance, in glanders, 

 the ulcer, the oily-like discharge, and the swollen intermaxillary 

 glands. 



GENEKAL SYMPTOMATOLOGY. 



What is understood by general symptomatology ? 



It is the study of those symptoms, as pain, the pulse, expres- 

 sion of the face, the tongue, andmucous membranes, the respiration 

 (including cough), and the temperature, not connected with any 

 special disease, but with diseased processes generally. 



Describe the varieties of pain. 



Sharp, acute, cutting, darting, and lancinating (generally of 

 intermittent character); seen in peripheral nervous troubles, as 

 neuralgia and inflammation of serous membranes. Dull, gnawing, 

 and more or less continuous; seen in chronic tissue change; as a 

 rule, in hepatic and splenic affections and inflammation of mucous 

 membranes. Exceptions: In malignant diseases, as cancer, the pain 

 is sharp. The pain is sharp, although there is chronic tissue change. 

 The character of the pain varies, according to the tissue involved. 

 In inflammation of the skin it is burning and itching. In inflam- 

 mation of mucous membranes it is aching and throbbing. In 

 inflammation of bone it is dull and boring. 



Describe the physiognomy of disease. 



Some diseases have their own physiognomy (if the expression 

 be permitted), and we can only appreciate the same by continued 

 observation. Certain external appearances, position of the body, 

 etc., come under this head. 



What is the pulse? 



The pulse may be said to be the expansion of the artery, pro- 

 duced by the wave of the blood, set in motion by the overfilling of 

 the aorta at each ventricular systole. 



