Elements of Practical Medicine Author:Robert Williams General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1841 Original Publisher: H. Baillière Subjects: Communicable diseases Medical / Infectious Diseases Medical / Toxicology Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General ... more »Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: DYSENTERIA PALUSTRIS. Dysentery is a specific inflammation of the mucous membrane of the colon caused by the paludal poison. The duration of this disease is from a few days to many months. 539 OF THE PALUDAL POISON. DYSENTERY. It has been seen that the paludal poison, according to its intensity, produces the various forms of intermittent, remittent, and of yellow fevers. But so singular are the laws of this noxious agent, that fever is not the only disease which it inflicts on the human frame; for owing, perhaps, to some modifications either of quality or quantity, the miasm also gives rise to dysentery, a disease whose course and phenomena are frequently unaccompanied by any febrile symptom whatever. It is doubtful, indeed, if the morbid actions of the poison end here, or whether many forms of hepatitis and of splenitis ought not to be referred to its baneful influence. It is now intended, however, to treat of dysentery only. The peculiar modification of the quantity or quality of the paludal poison which produces this form of disease, is unknown, but the connection of dysentery with paludal fever and paludal districts, is supported by the most abundant and irrefragable authorities. Remote cause. -- It may be stated as a general proposition, that there is no country where paludal fever exists, that dysentery is not an endemic and a prevailing disease. In Dr. Arnold, when speaking of Port Antonio, says: -- " In this as well " as in many other parishes in Jamaica, the diseases wh...« less