Handbook of General Therapeutics Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1885 edition. Excerpt: ... food have or have not caused a rise of temperature; we may, however, notice whether the greater variations of temperature are proportional to the amount of food taken. That such is actually the case has not been shown by anyone; on the contrary, many observers have testified that fever patients may take considerable quantities of nourishment without any remarkable rise of temperature. Yet the accuracy of the contrary observations described above need not be rashly impugned, for if such cases are more closely examined it will, as a rule, be found that the caution as regards either the choice of food or the quantity administered at a time, which appears imperative in view of the weakened capacity of digestion, has been neglected. Such rise of temperature usually passes off in a short time after digestion is completed, clearly proving that it is connected with the digestive process and not with the effects of nutriment after its reception into the general current and the increased oxidation consequent thereon; for otherwise it would first become apparent at the time when the temperature actually subsides. But if the ingestion of unsuitable food have seriously damaged the organs of digestion it is intelligible that the rise of temperature should in such cases be persistent. From the previous discussion it admits of no doubt that the waste of matter, especially the metabolism of albumen, experiences a decided acceleration in fever, and that consequently the cellular elements lose in a short time a part of their constituents and may in certain circumstances perish altogether. It is more than probable that the great consumption of organic albumen, especially if it should lead to actual degeneration of the tissues, inflicts a far greater injury...