Coma is the medical word for this. It is
an unnaturally deep sleep, from which one
cannot be roused. We meet with it chiefly
in the following : Alcoholic drunkenness
('dead drunk"); opium-poisoning (nar-
cotism) ; apoplexy ; very low typhus fever ;
compression of the brain from fractured
skull.
It is not always easy to say, in a particu-
lar case, which of these is present.
Intoxication is generally shown by the
odor of the breath, and the general appear-
ance of the patient, and his behavior before
he became unconscious. In opium poisoning ,
the pupils of the eyes are, as a rule, strongly
contracted, even when no considerable
THE FAMIL Y DOCTOR
17
light is shining on them . Typhus fever
is known by the history of the case ; as,
in it, complete stupor is never the con-
dition at the very beginning of the illness.
A broken skull, if not obviously accounted
for by a known injury, may be found out by
careful examination of the head.
Dizziness (giddiness, vertigo) is ac-
counted for in different instances by either
of four causes : mere weakness ; disorder of
the liver (biliousness,) and stomach ; disease
of the internal ear ; disease of the brain.
The last of these is the least common, un-
less in persons over sixty years of age.
Loss OF SPEECH {aphasia), or getting the
wrong words instead of those intended,
comes from a disorder of the brain. It is
often accompanied by loss of power, especi-
ally in the right arm and leg. Loss of voice
{aphonia) is another thing ; resulting from
thickening of the lining membrane of the
windpipe {larynx), or paralj^sis of its
muscles ; or, in the dying or nearly dying
state, extreme debility.
Symptoms Affecting the Secretions :
The Bowels.
Constipation (tightness of the bowels ;
absence or rarity of movement, and small-
ness of amount discharged) is almost always
present during the first days of a "fever, of
any kind except typhoid. Even in that, also,
although early looseness of the bowels is
more common, there is in a few cases a
short time of constipation.
Pregnant w^omen are very apt to have
the bowels constipated, from the partial ob-
struction produced by the pressure of the
enlarging uterus upon the lower bowel
{rectnni). Sea-sickness, also, is very often
attended by slowness of the bowels. But
the most obstinate and alarming constipa-
tion is that of obstruction of the bowels ; as
in strangulated rupture, or in intussusception .
DiARRHCEA (excessive liquid flow from
the bowels) is symptomatic of various
disordered conditions. It is present as a
rule in typhoid fever, and is common in ad-
vanced pulmonary consumption. It is an
CvSsential part of the attack in cholera-morbus,
epidemic cholera, ?i\\& cholera i)ifantuvi {sMn\-
mer complaint of infants). It occurs fre-
31
quently by itself, particularly in warm clim-
ates, and in the summer season.
Discharges in diarrhoea are either ?iatu7'al
(fecal), 'jnucous (slimy), bilious, or watery.
In cholera-morbus, which may be met with
anywhere, the passages are nearly natural or
bilious, unless near the end of a very bad
case. Epideinic cholera is distinguishable
partly by the rice-7vaterlike abundant dis-
charges, with no biliary color at all.
Page 139
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
Coma is the medical word for this. It is an unnaturally deep sleep, from which one cannot be roused. We meet with it chiefly in the following : Alcoholic drunkenness ('dead drunk"); opium-poisoning (narcotism) ; apoplexy ; very low typhus fever ; compression of the brain from fractured skull.
It is not always easy to say, in a particular case, which of these is present.
Intoxication is generally shown by the odor of the breath, and the general appearance of the patient, and his behavior before he became unconscious. In opium poisoning , the pupils of the eyes are, as a rule, strongly contracted, even when no considerable
light is shining on them . Typhus fever is known by the history of the case ; as, in it, complete stupor is never the condition at the very beginning of the illness. A broken skull, if not obviously accounted for by a known injury, may be found out by careful examination of the head.
Dizziness (giddiness, vertigo) is accounted for in different instances by either of four causes : mere weakness ; disorder of the liver (biliousness,) and stomach ; disease of the internal ear ; disease of the brain. The last of these is the least common, unless in persons over sixty years of age.
Loss OF SPEECH {aphasia), or getting the wrong words instead of those intended, comes from a disorder of the brain. It is often accompanied by loss of power, especially in the right arm and leg. Loss of voice {aphonia) is another thing ; resulting from thickening of the lining membrane of the windpipe {larynx), or paralysis of its muscles ; or, in the dying or nearly dying state, extreme debility.
Symptoms Affecting the Secretions : The Bowels.
Constipation (tightness of the bowels ; absence or rarity of movement, and smallness of amount discharged) is almost always present during the first days of a "fever, of any kind except typhoid. Even in that, also, although early looseness of the bowels is more common, there is in a few cases a short time of constipation.
Pregnant women are very apt to have the bowels constipated, from the partial obstruction produced by the pressure of the enlarging uterus upon the lower bowel {rectum). Sea-sickness, also, is very often attended by slowness of the bowels. But the most obstinate and alarming constipation is that of obstruction of the bowels ; as in strangulated rupture, or in intussusception .
DiARRHCEA (excessive liquid flow from the bowels) is symptomatic of various disordered conditions. It is present as a rule in typhoid fever, and is common in advanced pulmonary consumption. It is an CvSsential part of the attack in cholera-morbus, epidemic cholera, and cholera i)ifantuvi {sMn\- mer complaint of infants). It occurs fre-
quently by itself, particularly in warm climates, and in the summer season.
Discharges in diarrhoea are either ?natural (fecal), mucous(slimy), bilious, or watery. In cholera-morbus, which may be met with anywhere, the passages are nearly natural or bilious, unless near the end of a very bad case. Epidemic cholera is distinguishable partly by the rice-water-like abundant discharges, with no biliary color at all.