This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1848 Excerpt: ... of vascular excitement, which is often mistaken for an increase of the disease, and is treated accordingly by a further abstraction of blood. How injurious and often fatal this very common mistake, (one which is of daily occurrence among the less observing portion of medical practitioners, ) proves in its consequences, shall be mentioned below. We shall here quote the very sensible remarks of Dr. Copeland ou the subject; he says, " In cases of excitement, where the vital and nervous power is not depressed, and the blood itself rich or healthy, reaction generally follows each large depletion, and thus often exacerbates or brings back the disease for which it was employed, and which had been relieved by the primary effects of the evacuation. This is more remarkably the case in acute inflammations of internal viscera, particularly of the brain or its membranes. Thus, every observing practitioner must often have noticed, that a large depletion, when carried to deliquium, will have entirely removed the symptoms of acute inflammation when the patient has recovered consciousness, and that he expresses the utmost relief. But it generally happens, that the inordinate depression, the very full syncope, that is thought essential to the securing of advantage from the depletion, is followed by an equally excessive degree of vascular reaction, with which all the symptoms of inflammation return; and the general reaction is ascribed entirely, but erroneously, to the return of the inflammation, instead of the latter being imputed to the former, which has rekindled or exasperated it when beginning to subside. The consequence is, that another very large depletion is again prescribed for its removal; and the patient recollecting the relief it temporarily afforded him, rea...