Reviewing the Medical Books and Journals that constituted Medical understanding a century back.

History of the Book of Medicine

May 18th, 2008 at 4:32 pm

The Mosquito

The Mosquito.-the mosquito is a common carrier of yellow fever and malaria or "chills and fever" as it is sometime spoken of by the public.  Malaria is caused by a tiny parasite which can only be seen by the microscope in the blood of man and the mosquito.  It lives and multiplies in the blood of an individual suffering from the disease.

It definitely is interesting to see that they do have a pretty good understanding of what malaria was even though the microscope was still relatively new back at time of publication of this book.  Just a short description of the potential of this little insect that causes people so many problems.  Malaria medicine and running water have helped people get away from these critters.  Many colonial settlers  in Africa tended to locate themselves close to rivers and streams to be close to running water.  This was a formula that worked in colder climates where mosquitos were not as dangerous, but in the tropics this put them in the danger zone for malaria.  They literally settled in the mosquito breeding areas.

Well and running water deliver waters into the homes around the world from the ground to the faucet helped people move away from the proximity of these danger areas, but there are still many people stuck in the original settled areas.

Additional Articles from the Book of Medicine:

  • Muscles of the Thigh and Leg

    Muscles of the Thigh and Leg.-turning to the next colored illustration, with a graphic of a full view of the deeper muscular arrangements play together with a striking his harvests applied to the lower extremity.  Delete these beautiful, silvery threads are the wires which carry the behest of the will to the muscular lovers, and whose commands the muscles probably obey; and give to the leg is wonderful and diversified endowments.  To stand erect is a very difficult and complex attack, in the process of forming is a no less difficult for complex function.  Few persons ever realize the peril involved in walking, and it has only become safe by constant practice.

    We are finally finishing up the last sections of the first book and I will be glad to get beyond the basic descriptions of images of the human body and move onto the last century view on weight loss pills (or roots) and other pragmatic cures for the common and uncommon ailments of humans.

  • River-Water

    River-Water. — River-water is, to a certain extent, similar to Spring-water, but is much more apt to be contaminated with sand and clay, organic material from decomposing vegetable or animal remains, the refuse of manufacturers, and especially with the sewage of cities and towns, which it is probable events amounts of sickness and death are annually due in all civilized countries. Unfortunately, River-water is that which is chiefly supplied to towns and cities, and therefore find its way into the systems of vast numbers of our fellow-beings.

     

    In past sections, I have marveled at the excessive use of punctuation, but I’ve never seen the excessive use of “hyphens”. This particular section on water is absolutely rife with the excessive use of hyphens, and it is wreaking havoc on my attempt at editing. It’s almost like the author falls in love with a certain type of punctuation has a brief affair with it for a chapter or two before turning to a new punctuation.  This particular affair is driving me nuts, and I can’t wait for it to be over. If it doesn’t end soon I will probably single-handedly increase NC health insurance rates by myself.

  • Interior Arrangement of Lungs

    Interior Arrangement of Lungs. — On turning this flap over we find a vertical section of lungs, showing their anterior arrangements. The lower end of the trachea divides, one portion going to each long. These again subdividing continue to subdivide in geometrical order, growing smaller and smaller with each division, and extending to every part of the lungs, finally terminating in a cluster of air cells, bound together by cellular tissue and forming a lobule. These lobules vary in size accordingly as they are located on the surface of the lung or deeper in its tissues. Each lobule is separate and distinct from the other, and forms in itself a perfect and independent lung in miniature

    Function Of the Lobules. — In this arrangement we see the boundless wisdom of the Creator displayed, for were it not for this wise and perfect; provision — one of the very greatest importance in the process of respiration, since it enables each individual lobule to perform its functions independently of the rest — tubercular disease, bronchitis and inflammation of the lungs would not only be incurable, but would prove to be very rapidly fatal.

    ______________
    The last paragraph of this section is written with very peculiar grammar, some of it seems to be due to its age of a hundred years or more and the rest seems to be bad grammar that slip by the editor, this mixed in with the nonsecular reference makes what would probably be an important statement somewhat obscure.

 

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