Hiccough is produced by a spasm of the
diaphragm^ at the floor of the chest. It may
depend upon iyidigestioji, nervous disorder,
or great exhaustion. In the last of these, it
is generally a decidedly bad symptom.
Snoring (stertorus), respiration results
478
from oppressio7i oj the brahi ; the cause of
which may be either apoplexy , fracture of the
skull, dead dru7ike?i7iess , or 7iarcotis7n by
opium. (Of course we do not forget that
some persons snore tremendously during
their natural and healthy sleep.)
Symptoms Affecting the fluscles.
Position is often significant in disease.
Inability to rise may be owing to ge7ieral
weakness, palsy, i7ifla7n77iation of the joi7its,
etc.) as from rheui7iatis77i or go^it), or an in-
jury, such as a broken thigh or leg.
I:nability to i.ik down is generally the
result of difficulty of breathi7ig (dyspnoea),
which doctors then call orthopnoea, or
straight-up breathing.
In Coivic , the patient usually prefers to lie
upon the breast.
In Peritonitis, the chosen position is
on the back, with the knees drawn up.
In the ea7dy stage of Pleurisy, the patient
lies of choice on the side not affected ; after
water collects (effusion) this is reversed.
When the liver is e7ilarged from disease, the
right side is mostly preferred. When the
heart is much disturbed in its action, the
sufferer generally cannot lie on the left side.
Exceptions occur in heart disease, especially
of long duration.
In Aneurism of the Aorta, a favorite
position is sitting up and leaning over the
back of a chair, or the edge of a bed.
Muscular weakness may result from
acute disease, as fever, or from exhaustion.
Entire want of exercise weakens the muscles.
When an arm or a leg has been long fastened
up in splints on account of a fracture, its
muscles are almost powerless upon first be-
ing taken out of their confinement.
Spasm may be of either of three kinds ;
fxed, or to7iic spasm, as in lock-jaw (tetanus) ;
7^egularly jerki7tg, or clo7iic, as in fits or co7i-
vulsio7is ; an irregularly jerking, as in St.
Vitus' dance or chorea. Cra77ip is a short-
timed to7iic spasm.
Tremor (trembling) is of two kinds ;
consta7it trembling, as in shaki7ig palsy {par-
alysis agita7is), and tremor only when doing
something, as in one form of disease of the
brain and spinal marrow:
Rigidity of muscles is different from
mere spasmodic contraction. It occurs in
THE FAMILY DOCTOR
15
certain severe and continued cases of palsy
(paralysis) .
Jerking of the tendons, especially at the
wrists, is met with in low states of continued
fever, typhoid or typhus.
Symptoms Connected with our Senses.
Pain is variously interpreted, according
to its place and character. It may be
AcuTK, sharp, cutting, as in pleurisy;
shooting, darting, as in neuralgia ; piercing
(lancinating), in cancer; gnawing, tearing,
in rheumatism ; dull, heavy, aching, as in
pneumonia ; griping, twisting, in dysentery ;
bearing down , in second stage of labor ; pul-
sating, in the formation of an abscess ; burn-
ing, smarting, in erysipelas ; stinging, nett-
ling, in urticaria (nettle-rash) ; constant, or
intermittent ; fixed or wandering.
Tenderness on pressure is generally a
sign of inflammation, although some nen-
7'algic cases have it ; possibly from inflam-
mation of the sheaths of the nerves. Tired
muscles also are often sore to the touch as
well as on motion.
Page 136
Presented as published in 1901. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Hiccough is produced by a spasm of the diaphragm^ at the floor of the chest. It may depend upon indigestion, nervous disorder, or great exhaustion. In the last of these, it is generally a decidedly bad symptom.
Snoring (stertorus), respiration results
from oppression of the brain ; the cause of which may be either apoplexy , fracture of the skull, dead drunkenness , or narcotism by opium. (Of course we do not forget that some persons snore tremendously during their natural and healthy sleep.)
Symptoms Affecting the Muscles.
Position is often significant in disease. Inability to rise may be owing to general weakness, palsy, inflammation of the joints, etc.) as from rheumatism or gout), or an injury, such as a broken thigh or leg.
I:nability to i.ik down is generally the result of difficulty of breathing (dyspnoea), which doctors then call orthopnoea, or straight-up breathing.
In Coivic , the patient usually prefers to lie upon the breast.
In Peritonitis, the chosen position is on the back, with the knees drawn up.
In the ea7dy stage of Pleurisy, the patient lies of choice on the side not affected ; after water collects (effusion) this is reversed. When the liver is enlarged from disease, the right side is mostly preferred. When the heart is much disturbed in its action, the sufferer generally cannot lie on the left side. Exceptions occur in heart disease, especially of long duration.
In Aneurism of the Aorta, a favorite position is sitting up and leaning over the back of a chair, or the edge of a bed.
Muscular weakness may result from acute disease, as fever, or from exhaustion. Entire want of exercise weakens the muscles. When an arm or a leg has been long fastened up in splints on account of a fracture, its muscles are almost powerless upon first being taken out of their confinement.
Spasm may be of either of three kinds ; fixed, or tonic spasm, as in lock-jaw (tetanus) ; regularly jerking, or clonic, as in fits or convulsions ; an irregularly jerking, as in St. Vitus' dance or chorea. Cramp is a shorttimed to7iic spasm.
Tremor (trembling) is of two kinds ; constant trembling, as in shaking palsy (paralysis agitans), and tremor only when doing something, as in one form of disease of the brain and spinal marrow:
Rigidity of muscles is different from mere spasmodic contraction. It occurs in
certain severe and continued cases of palsy (paralysis) .
Jerking of the tendons, especially at the wrists, is met with in low states of continued fever, typhoid or typhus.
Symptoms Connected with our Senses.
Pain is variously interpreted, according to its place and character. It may be
AcuTK, sharp, cutting, as in pleurisy; shooting, darting, as in neuralgia ; piercing (lancinating), in cancer; gnawing, tearing, in rheumatism ; dull, heavy, aching, as in pneumonia ; griping, twisting, in dysentery ; bearing down , in second stage of labor ; pulsating, in the formation of an abscess ; burning, smarting, in erysipelas ; stinging, nettling, in urticaria (nettle-rash) ; constant, or intermittent ; fixed or wandering.
Tenderness on pressure is generally a sign of inflammation, although some nen- 7'algic cases have it ; possibly from inflammation of the sheaths of the nerves. Tired muscles also are often sore to the touch as well as on motion.