The Nervous Symptoms of Lithaemia (Classic Reprint)

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Excerpt from The Nervous Symptoms of LithæmiaWhen examined by me, I found no alteration of sensibility or of motion, the tongue was slightly coated at the back, the bowels were regular, the conjunctiva rather muddy, and with the faintest yellowish tint, no marked dyspeptic symptoms existed, or enlargement of liver or Spleen, though the liver dulness was, perhaps, a little more extended than normal. The pulse was compressible, and occasionally lost a beat, there was no cardiac murmur. The appearance of the patient was that of distress, but not. Of anaemia. The joints of the fingers were somewhat tender on pressure. The urine was scanty, of high specific gravity, free from albumen, but loaded with lithates.It was difficult to persuade the patient that he was not affected with a hopeless disease, that his symptoms were those of lithaemia, produced by overwork and the disordered state of the liver due most likely to malarial poison. He yielded reluctantly to the View of trying a strict diet, rest ing from work, exercising in the open air, and using alkaline purgative waters, followed by a course of small doses of arsenic. But he was glad he had yielded when health slowly, but steadily and fully, returning showed him the advantage derived from his submission.The case I am about to relate was of much longer duration, and the time that has elapsed since the last attack shows how complete was the recovery.Case ii.-a gentleman, 48 years of age, fond of intellectual pursuits, and leading the life of a student in addition to bearing the cares and anxieties of the responsible direction of heavy interests, has been at least for twelve years subject to attacks of vertigo, which distress him and demoralize him. Some years since he never passed a month without them, they come, when feeling well, or with but little premonition, simply that of a slight dyspeptic state, they come when on a strain, and when taking relaxation, though much more generally under the former than under the latter circumstances. The attacks are of about a minute's dura tion, he has had them at night awakening him out of his Sleep, they are Objective, and followed bya dull headache, which does not last longer than a day and sometimes only for a few hours. He is very gloomy after them, and for years his life was haunted by the idea that he was becoming an epileptic. This view was seemingly confirmed by rapidly passing spells, during which his mind was a blank and he would stagger in his gait, and he eyed with keen suspicion any companion in his walk, fearing that the dreaded secret was at last disclosed. Irregularity of the heart I found to be very common with him, the pulse some days intermitting every fourth beat, and on others only every twentieth. When the irregularity was most marked, these passing attacks of oblivion happened most decidedly. The intellectual faculties were always acute, but long spells of listlessness, requiring strong will power to force himself into exertion, were not in frequent. Dyspepsia occurred occasionally, especially of the acid type, but was not a marked symptom, the urine often deposited lithates, was of specific gravity ranging from 1020 to 1024, was free from sugar and albu men, contained lithates in abundance, and at times oxalates. The eye ground, examined by an ophthalmologist, was pronounced to be normal, it is right to add that the examination was made when there had not recently been vertigo. Slight sallowness of the skin and elevation of temperature, not exceeding one degree, were occasional symptoms, and joints of right hand at times tender on pressure, pain in the toes, and so called rheumatism in the leg, some stiffness in walking, were also at long intervals observed.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com