Cheyne-Stokes Respiration (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1892. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... In a case of thoracic aneurism in an old man, described by de Cerenville,1 Cheyne-Stokes respiration was present for some days. No mention is made of the state of the pulse in the varying phases of the breathing, but the pupils are said to have remained in a condition of excessive contraction. The author takes the opportunity of bringing forward an occurrence which seems to be unique--a case of intermittent respiration in a baby, one month old, caused by morphine taken by his mother. The mother had been suffering from neuralgia, for which she took a large dose of morphine, and next day the baby lost his appetite, became cyanotic, and fell into convulsions, attended by periodic breathing, during which the pupils varied in size, becoming larger with inspiration. The infant recovered under appropriate treatment. In a case of cardiac disease presenting Cheyne-Stokes respiration, de Cerenville found that morphine caused a diminution in the extent of the respiratory phenomenon, while neither digitalis nor bromide of potassium had any effect of the kind. Ross2 describes the occurrence of Cheyne-Stokes breathing after the hypodermic administration of half a grain of morphine to an intemperate person of 40, who was found in convulsions almost entirely confined to the left side, with pupils of natural size. After the use of the morphine the convulsions ceased and the pupils became contracted, while typical Cheyne-Stokes breathing made its appearance. The author notes that during the pause in the respiration the limbs became rigid, and relaxed again when the breathing began. This type of breathing made its appearance within four and a half hours of the time of the administration of the morphine, it remained for about six hours, and ceased five hours before death. The thora...