•ffjy V SYNOPSIS J-^M^. COURSE OF LECTURES ON MEDICAL SCIENCE, DELIVERED TO THE STUDENTS OF 8Hje iBotomc0-4lfc5ttal/College of ©l)to. U BY A. CURTIS, M. D. President of the Literary and Botanioo-lVEedical College of Ohio; and Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine, and Materia Medioa and Pharmacy: Author of Lectures on Obstetrics, &c. " Medicine is a demonstrative science, and all its processes should proceed from established principles and be based on positive deductions." Prof. S. Jackson, Univ. Pa. Prin. pa. 11. " Because all systems which have hitherto been promulgated have been false, and consequently transient, it by no means follows that there may not be found one which will stand a tower of strength, unharmed by the rude shock of opposition's bursting wave through all succeeding time ; and such a theory, it is conceived, may and will be formed of disease." Dr. L. M. Whit- ing's Address, at commencement, Pittsfield, Massachusetts." [Entered according to Act of Congress, by A. Curtis, M, D., in the Clerk's office of the Southern District Court of ©hio.] CINCINNATI: PRINTED BY EDWIN SHEPARD, FOR THE AUTHOR. 1846, tS-K- PREFACE. The following work was commenced seven years ago, and published within a shorJ time after, to the extent of 128 pages, when, from the pressure of the times it w;t9 suspended till last year. It was then resumed, and the part first proposed as a synopsis of a course of lectures on medical science, is now completed. This course of progress having been long enough, according to the common esti- mate of medical historians, uto produce an entire revolution in the doctrines of the science and the practices of the art," it affords me no small gratification, on reviewing its pages, to perceive, that, however numerous the deficiencies in the minutia of prac- tice, or hurried and imperfect the diction, or deranged the systematic order of some parts, in consequence of its having been composed and printed by piecemeal; I can perceive, in the whole work, no fundamental error taught, nor important, governing truth omitted. To the mind of the truly philosophical physician, its faults will appear those of redundancy rather than deficiency, particularly in the directions for the treat- ment of the genera of disease. This, however, being demanded by the erroneous notions instilled into the minds of the people by the false teachings of medical profes- sors and practitioners, must be tolerated for the present. From thirteen years expe- rience in a very extensive application of these principles in practice, I am fully per- suaded that they constitute " the demonstrative science, whose processes should proceed from established principles, and he based on positive deductions," [Prof. Jackson,] and that the system developed in this volume, is the "one which will stand, a tower of strength, unharmed by the rude shock of opposition's bursting wave, through all suc- ceeding time." (Whiting.) Nor am I alone in this opinion. The many talented, learned and conscientious young men, to whom they have been exhibited, in the B. M. College, for the last ten years, unite with me in the declaration that these principles enable them, in the lan- guage of Professor Chapman, "to bring into practice something of exactness;" to defend themselves against all the opposition of medical ignorance and prejudice, and to teach their fellow men the folly and wickedness of violating nature's laws in order to restore the equilibrium of her actions; and the wisdom and necessity of aiding her in her intentions in the removal of the causes of disease. And I may add, though I have not attempted to give, under each genus, all the trains of systems that may or may not occur, in the course of the "run" or the maltreatment of the derangements that are usually included under the name of that genus; yet 1 feel safe in declaring, that in the course of the work, 1 have given the most important symptoms that ever occur in disease, and ample directions for their treatment. So that the person who makes him- self complete master of these principles, will be able successfully to guard acainst a great proportion of the maladies of man, and to remove their causes on the first attack. Though the principles and facts here set forth, will aid persons of all classes in society, in preserving their health, their time and money, to a threat and valuable ex- tent; yet the variety, connexion and beauty of those principles and the vast amount of practical conclusions, conduct and consequences they involve, will soon convince all / PREFACE. Ill reflecting persons, that, to be safe and successful healers of the sick, in difficult and rare cases, they must be thoroughly educated in and imbued by these principles, and devote their whole time to the practice of the art which they were made to govern ; and hence, while they enlighten their own minds in regard to their physical liabilities and wants, and generally protect their own bodies from the encroachments of disease, they will be among the foremost to encourage' the thorough education of young men for the profession, to discriminate between the physician and the charlatan, and to avail themselves of the wisdom and experience of the learned and skillful, in all cases of doubt, of difficulty and danger. The first numbers of this work having been printed in Columbus, where I could get neither good paper nor new type, make, I regret to say, a very poor appearance; but I remember that people are not all so unwise as to judge of men by the clothing they wear, nor of gold by the ore in which it is first found: and I hope that they will not condemn this, my first and cheap edition, from the appearance of the first 144 pages, but give it a thorough examination by logic, and demonstration by practice according to its principles, and then they may abuse it, as much as they please. With these few remarks, I most respectfully dedicate the following pages to the ser- vice and defence of the many talented and highly respected young gentlemen who called forth their principles and listened to their development, and also to the still more numerous and very kind friends, in all parts of the country, who, by their cash contributions during their progress, have enabled me to complete them, and especially those who, by their, long, patient, and not only good natured but very affectionate for- bearance With my seeming tardiness, have greatly lightened the burden of my labors, and enabled me now to complete them. A. C. ERRATA. This work having been' a long time in progress of publication, has been subjected to many different compositors, some of whom have not been very careful in its execution. Some have given me proof sheets which I could scarcely read, and which, of course, I could not fully correct; and then they have not been careful to correct even my indications. Hence, many typographical errors have occurred, the most important of which are here indicated. The reader will please correct them with a pen or pencil before reading. Page 27 line 31, for 12 read 2.—ra. 100 I. 17, for 'blood' read, fluids.—Pa. 101 1, 10, for 'inflam mation' read, injuries.—Pa. 191. 1, after'remedies' read, relaxants, stimulants and astringents.— - Prop. 781.11, for 'former' read, latter.—Pa. 137 1.14 from bottom, after 'impressibility' read, of the patient.__Pa. 141 I. 23, erase 'not.'—Pa. 205 I. 4, omit comma after polygonum.—P. 234 1. 28, in- sert, from, before 'all.'—Pa. 293 1. 17, after 'alterants' add, the bath aud friction.—Pa. 295 1, 18, for 'form' read, found.—Pa. 298 order 8th, for 'abstricta' read, adstricta—Pa. /01 1. 5 from bot- tom, for 'angiana' read, angina__Pa. 309 I. 11 from hot. for 'Painters's' read, Painter's.—Pa. 311 1. i4, for -arms' read, anus.—Fa. 367 1. 10 for 'tice' read, 'notice.'—371 bottom line, alter'these' in- serf, there are; and after 'exceptions' a semicolon.—Pa. 379 1. 21, after 'beautiful' insert, plant— Pa. 386 last two lines, for 'epiploecle' read, 'epiplocele,'—Pa. 30 par. 5, 1. 3, for 'penduloues' read, pendulous.—Pa. 397 1. 5 from bot. for 'meneges' read, meninges.—Pa. 400 par. 2 I. 3, for 'cirrita- tion' read, irritation; and last par. for 'uteras' read, uterus.—Pa. 405 I. 20, for 'Tetodes' read, Ic- todes; bottom line, blot the o out of'cardammoine.'—40G 1.13 from bol for 'Alies' reed, Abirs; I. 12, for 'excharotic' read, escharotic__408 1. G. for 'z' read, x; 1. 7 from bot. for 'list' read best— Pa. 409 last line after 'manna' insert a comma.—Pa. 410 1 21, for -sanguenaria' read, sanguinaria; and next lino, put a comma between leptandra and juglans—-Pa. 413 1. 25, for 'poweders' read, powders; and line 12 from bottom read, precise__Pa. 415 last line of prrairaph 4, read liniments,— Pa. 418 2d line from bottom, read, azedaraah.—Pa. 425 I. 2d from bottom, read, leontodon; and 1. 3 do. menispernum,—Pa. 430 first word ce should be a.—Pa. 433 1. 3, for 'anirn' read, animal— Pa. 436 I. 3 from bot. for 'roots' read, root.—Pa. 411 I. 1, for 'Aspleinfolia' read Asplenifolia. INDEX. Anatomy,*not the basis of medicine, 13 " its true place in med. 39-43 " defined, 44 Class books, 43, 45, 5.3 " " Smiths, 45, 53 Asthma humidum, 200 " comulsivum, 304 Antagonism, 134, 135 Anasarca, 222 Agaricus, poison, mushroom, 381 Agalactia impotens, want branous partitions. branch. 5 Caries, rottenness of bones. Abscess, an internal ulcer which s Cantharides, Spanish flies, (blister.) forms pus. i Contusions, bruises. Antagonism, opposition. > Conjunctiva, the mucous membrane Antagonistic, opposed. $ that covers the eyeball and the in- Asthenic, weak. J side of the eyelid. Adynamia, weak, lax state. i Contagious, communicated by con- Alteratives, promoters of the secre-$ tact or touching. tions; they are relaxing and stimu- \ Cardialgia, pain at the heart. lating, usually bitter, some are as- * Cathartics, articles that produce rapid tringent. Alterants, ib. I motion through the bowels, and Algia (termination) pain. 5 draw the action inward. Aromatic, strong scented. s Chancre, a syphilitic sore. Atrophy, wasting. ' Chachexy, feverish habit of body. Assimilation, the reduction of food to \ Caustic, a substance that will corrode blood. 5 or eat away the flesh. Adnata, the albuginea of the eye; the K Congestion, accumulation of blood or coat covering the sclerotica. } other fluid in a part, without in- Aphthce, sore patches. J flammation. Apoplexy, rush of blood to the br in \ Calculi, stones in the bladder. so as to paralyze it. \ Collapsing, falling together. xiv GLOSSARY. Coma, intense morbid sleep. 5 Costo-sternal, from ribs to sternum or ? breast bone. \ Convulsions, violent spasms of the \ muscles, fits. ' Depletion, reduction of the fluids ofl the body, by the lancet and physic; 5 or by emetics, diuretics and sudo- 5 rifles. ' Diaphragm, the partition between \ the chest and the abdomen, see pa. \ 78. Diagnosis, decision in relation to the \ present state of disease. I Diathesis, disease, or diseased state or * condition. I Dynamia, tension, rigidity. I Deglutition, swallowing. 5 Diaphanous, translucent, pellucid, j Dermoid, belonging to the skin. ^ Dyspnoea, difficulty of breathing. 5 Defecation, discharge of fceces. I Demulcents, soft, slimy, lubricating I substances. ^ Essence, a being, an existence, wheth- 5 er it answers the description of? matter or not; the most subtle part 5 of any thing. i Excretory, casting off from the sys-i tern. \ Emunctories, pores of the skin, &c. I the depurating powers of the sys- i tern. 5 Escharotic, something that decompo- \ ses or eats the semi-vital flesh. t Eucephalon, the cranium with its > contents. 5 Empresma, oppression. < Epidemic, a. going about, n. a disease | that prevails generally for a time, \ and passes off, dependent chiefly on i atmospheric vicissitudes. i Endemic, arising from local causes. 5 Eustachian tube, that which leads i from the ear to the posterior cavity t of the mouth. Epiglottis, the vafve that covers the 5 upper end of the wind pipe, J Emesis, vomiting, puking. * Eructations, belching,efforts to vomit. \ Excrementitious, prepared for dis- charge from the system. Expectoration, spitting, discharging matter from the lungs. Exacerbations, excitements, parox- ysms. Emenagogue, a medicine that pro- motes menstruation. Entony, sthenia, strength. Extravasation, effusion of blood from the vessels into the cellular tissues. Fomentations, partial steamings by the use of hot and moist substan- ces, as scalded herbs, boiled pota- toes, hot yeast, &c. Fascia, investing membranes. Fauces, back part of the mouth at the root of the tongue. Fontanelles. the open spaces on the top and under the crown of the heads of infants. Fistula, see 384. Gangrene, mortification. Gelatinous, like jelly. Glands, see page 72. Glottis,the upper end of the windpipe. Ganglions, knots, see page 82. Gregarious, going in clusters. Hypothesis, supposition. Hypochondrium, region about the lower ribs. Homogeneous, of one kind. Hydatids, sacs of watery fluid, usual- ly in clusters. Haemoptysis, spitting of blood. Hysteria, disease of female organs. Hypertrophy,morbid enlargement or expansion. Inflammation, accumulated irritation and arrested circulation in the ar- terial capillaries. Itis, this termination added to the name of an organ, signifies inflam- mation of that organ, as gastrin, inflammation of stomach. Impressible, capable of being influ- enced by the will or touch of an- other. Ingesta, what is taken into the body, as food, medicines, poisons. GLOSSARY. XV Impressibles, persons so easily affect- $ ed as to be speedily and fully con-, fident of it. \ Innervation, increase of strength. \ Intumescence, swelling. i Intermittent, entirely subsiding and \ then returning. 5 Ichorous, thin, watery, serous. i Idiosyncrasy, peculiarity of constitu- \ tion, which tolerates or rejects what \ most persons reject or tolerate. \ Lymph, unappropriated or effete mat-1 ter, taken into the lymphatic ves-1 sels. \ Lymphatic temperament, one largely i supplied with absorbents, glands j and abdominal viscera. j Laminated, in scales like the leaves \ of a book. 5 Libidinous, carnal. I Lethargy, drowsiness, stupor. j Macerate, to rot out under water. 5 Mediastinum, the partition between J the right and the left side of the i chest, passing from the sternum to i the spine. 5 Mesentery, see pa. 68. \ Momentum, the force with which a \ body in motion strikes another. I Morbific, making or tending to make \ death. \ Morbid, dead, any thing that makes \ disease is morbific; that only which > was once alive and is now dead, is 5 morbid. s Manipulations, operations with the >. hand. j Meninges, investing membranes of? the brain. \ Metastasis, change of locality, 249. \ Micturition, desire to void urine. \ Marasmus, pa. 284. \ Menstruation, monthly discharge. 5 Menorrhcea, flow of menses. \ Morphine, morphia, preparation from i opium. j Nosology, classification of the symp- \ torns of disease. I Ne plus ultra, Latin, the greatest; extent. i Nosodynamia, unnatural tension. Narcotics, articles that directly de- press the nervous system. Neurology ,the science of the nervous system and its functions. Ncuraura, that power which ema- nates from the nervous system of one person and affects that of an- other. Narcotics, substances that relieve pain by benumbing sensibility. Neuralgia, pain in the nerves. Organic, arranged into fibres, and into tubes for the circulation of flu- ids. Ossification, the formation of bone. Omnivorous, all-devouring. CEdema, cellular swellings, so as to pit on pressure. Phlegmasia, inflammatory action. Parturition, delivery of a child. Paroxysm, high excitement. Pathology, the science of disease. Physiology, the laws of nature or health. Physiological, physical, belonging to nature. Physiological system, one in harmo- ny with the laws of life. Pyrectic, febrile, or inflammatory. Palliatives, medicines that ease but do not heal. Parenchymatous, fleshy. Parenchyma, the material distributed among and between the fibres of an organized body, as the parts be- tween the midriff, nerves and veins of a leaf; the substance of an organ except its nerves, vessels and mem- branes. Pylorus, the lower orifice of the sto- mach. Peritoneum, the inner lining of the abdominal walls, the lower of the diaphragm, and the outer of the intestines. Pleura, the same of the chest and its organs. Peripneumonia, inflammation of the external covering of the lunp-s. XVI GLOSSARY. Puerperal, relating to child-birth. 5 Precordial, before the heart. | Prostate gland, that lying under the} back part of the urethra. \ Parietes, walls or inclosures. < Paresis, want"' of action, or of power \ to act. 5 Paralysis, paresis of the nerves. i Plexus, a union or a distribution of] several nerves. \ Plethora, fullness of vessels. I Physic, a medicine that draws the \ determining powers inward and \ produces watery stools. \ Quotidian, every day. < Quartan, every third day. ? Resolution, absorption of morbific I I material that threatens to suppu- i rate, scattering or diffusing. ' Recrementitious, refuse. \ Regimen, general conduct. i Remittent, partially subsiding and \ then returning. S Suppuration, turning to pus. \ Sigmoid, like the letter S. \ Splanchnic, belonging to the intes- 5 tines 5 Secretory, elaborating a fluid for phy-1 siological purposes. | Sebaceous, oily.