Medico-Chirurgical Transactions Volume 7 (Paperback)

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. 1816 Excerpt: ... at least the mental faculties. All the ordinary remedies having failed, the nitrate of silver was tried, and its use continued for two years and a half, in which period 3S drachms were taken, making an average of 2 grains per day. The paroxysms were by this treatment rendered so mild, as hardly to partake of the epileptic character; and their tendency to recurrence was detected only by slight attacks of nervous anxiety and perturbation of mind. In the mean time, however, the face acquired a singular purple hue; ihie change being ascribed to the remedy used, it was discontinued, and the subsequent cure entrusted to the efforts of nature. Five years have since elapsed, during which time there has been no recurrence of epilepsy, and the mind has continued sound; but the dark colour of the skin has daily become more intense. The head, and especially the face, is tinged with a deep violet approaching to black, and having a complete similitude to the /negro, or to a bronze bust. The hands are as deeply coloured as the face. The sclerotica is but little changed: the rest of the body, which is covered by the clothes, has preserved its natural hue, with the exception of a very slight tinge scarcely perceptible unless in the shade, but still sufficiently manifest to shew that the whole skin has partaken of the affection produced by the silver.--In the second case, drachms of the nitrate were taken in the space of 15 months, which corresponds to a daily dose of one grain. The change in the, colour-of the face did not take place till after the disease had been completely cured. At the end of three years, no relapse had occurred, but the darkness of the complexion continued, though in a somewhat less degree. EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. Another case is detail...