Additional Articles from the Book of Medicine:
- Sewer Gas Poison
Sewer Gas Poison. — it had obviously absorbed sewer gas, which it ascended through the overflow pipe, and that this had been the real cause of the disease was indicated by the fact that the diarrhea disappeared almost as rapidly as it had broken out, when the cistern was emptied and the pipe efficiently trapped.
Diarrhea in Country Districts. — Dr. Wilson declares that, according to his experience, much of the diarrhea which prevails in country districts during the summer and autumn amongst children is due to polluted water, drunk either as it is drawn from the well or when mixed with milk, fraudulently or by accident.
I combined these two sections as they are both relatively short and again lend to my hypothesis that the author was paid for not only word count, but important (and unnecessary ) ‘important’ section count. Now , that said, I find this interesting also from the perspective that I myself in doing home improvement projects from installing PVC pipe, toilets and bathroom faucets and systems, I have worked through problems and with plumbing systems that benefited from this knowledge. Although when I was taught how to install pipes and instructed in things about sewer gases and vents I was led to believe that these things were done primarily to help with the pressure and dynamics of making things flush and the possibility of what the gas might do in and of itself didn’t really come up, and was treated almost like something that was obvious.
- A Picture of Good Health
Note, This is the opening section of the first chapter of the first book.
The following Opening lines precede the segment:
A Description of the Colored Anatomical Charts Composing the Manikin Accompanying this Work.
We now proceed with what the book refers to his chart 1, however this would normally reference a chapter 1 I believe today.
A PICTURE OF GOOD HEALTH
This exquisitely beautiful and artistic anatomical late presents the head and face of a young man in the enjoyment of perfect health. Apart from the subject it’s so accurately and faithfully represents, it is in itself a viable life-like portraiture of the human head and face, and shows to what perfection the art of anatomical plate printing has attained. Note the prominent perceptive faculties, the high four head, features characteristic of a large brain and a massive and unimpaired intellect. Mark the open expression of the eye! How true to nature and life — like. Observe the compressed lips, denoting firmness of character and determination of purpose. Look at tentatively at the bright, open, manly countenance; there are no signs of mental decrepitude, physical bodily infirmities, nervous fear, or exhaustion of brainpower or life — force in the expression of the noble, ruddy and healthy face. It is, as its name implies, typical of Perfect Health!
Now you might ask, “What in the world is as book referring to at this point?”
The answer is what I can only refer to as a pop out picture on page 37.
- Cholera Due to Impure Water
Cholera Due to Impure Water. — among the remarkable outbreaks which goes to prove that this mode of cholera propagation is not at all uncommon, maybe mention the following, condensed from Mr. Simons eighth report as medical officer of the English privy Council, during the prevalence of cholera in England in 1865: A gentleman and his wife in the village of Theydon-Bois, and Essex, have been lodging at the town of Weymouth for two or three weeks, and returned home towards the end of
September. On their way home they pass through Dorchester, where the gentleman was seized with diarrhea, vomiting and cramps, which continued more or less during the next day in the day following, when he reached his own home. During the journey to wife also began complaining of pains in the abdomen, which was followed by diarrhea and eventually by cholera, from which she died.Here’s the first paragraph from Wikipedia on Cholera which I’m providing just as a simple contrast in the information level known now versus 100 years ago…
Cholera, sometimes known as Asiatic cholera or epidemic cholera, is an infectious gastroenteritis caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.[1][2] Transmission to humans occurs through ingesting food or water that is contaminated with cholera vibrios. The major reservoir for cholera was long assumed to be humans themselves, but considerable evidence exists that aquatic environments can serve as reservoirs of the bacteria. Vibrio cholerae is a Gram-negative bacterium that produces cholera toxin, an enterotoxin, whose action on the mucosal epithelium lining of the small intestine is responsible for the characteristic massive diarrhea of the disease.[1] In its most severe forms, cholera is one of the most rapidly fatal illnesses known, and a healthy person may become hypotensive within an hour of the onset of symptoms; infected patients may die within three hours if medical treatment is not provided.[1] In a common scenario, the disease progresses from the first liquid stool to shock in 4 to 12 hours, with death following in 18 hours to several days, unless oral rehydration therapy is provided.
That contrast in detail and accuracy is pretty amazing in and of it self. We live in an age where modern marvels in medical advancement such as the evolution from glasses to contact lenses to lasik corrective surgery demonstrate evolutionary and revolutionary change 3 times over. So it is no wonder that even when they were on the right track with a topic 100 years ago, the level of understanding was still exceptionally rudimentary.