"The medical literature of Sweden, must have been very insignificant in past ages, if we may form an opinion, from the total want of documents in relation to it. There existed no scientific lien between the physicians of that country, or even among those of the capital. A medical society might in vain have been sought for there, at a period, when they were common in all other countries. The Royal Academy of Sciences, published some essays relating to medicine, from time to time, but until 1807, a work on this topic was regarded as a sort of rarity. However, in the course of that year, seven physicians of Stockholm, united in order to found a society, which received the royal sanction, and took the title of Svenska Lœkare Sœllskapet, (Society of Swedish Physicians.) This institution, seemed to communicate to the practitioners of Sweden a new existence, and then really commenced the æra of medical literature in that country. The number of works published since that period, has scarcely amounted to more than one or two per annum. Dr. Raben is the author of three works, which, though not large, give evidence of considerable knowledge and penetration: Their titles are: 1st. De præcipuis causis mali Scrophul. ejusque remediis Commentation. Lund. 1807. 2nd. A second volume on the same subject, written in the Swedish language, Lund. 1819. 3d. Observationes in Syphilidem, ejusque curationem, ubi novæ quoque proponuntur curandi rationes. Lund. Goth. 1821.
"We shall also mention among the works recently published in Sweden, 1st. A biographical and literary gallery of the physicians of that country, from the reign of Gustavus I. down to our own times, by Dr. J. F. Saklen. 2nd. Flormann's Manual of Anatomy. Finally, a collection of the laws of the kingdom, which relate to medicine. The Medical Society of Stockholm, regularly publishes its transactions, Svenska Lœkare Sœllskapets Handlingar, the 10th vol. of which has just appeared. In it, are some remarkable cases, a table of the constitution of the atmosphere, and of the diseases which have prevailed at Stockholm, and in its environs; reports on the hospitals and baths of the whole kingdom; extracts from Medico-legal Examinations, recent discoveries, &c. M. Eckström promises to publish a complete description of the variolous epidemic, which prevailed last year at Stockholm, and in the provinces. Besides these transactions, the secretary makes an annual report, on what passes at the sittings. To this he adds, short notices of the most interesting recent discoveries and observations, which he derives from foreign medical literature. He publishes this collection once a year, and adds some nosological articles. In closing this review, we ought not to forget to mention the collection of theses, defended at the university of Upsal, which is published yearly by Dr. Zetterström."
37. Erysipelatous Mumps or Angina Parotidiana.—Dr. Behr of Bernberg, has published in the Journ. der Pract. Heilkund for July, 1825, an account of this disease, which we find in the Bulletin for Feb. 1826. Dr. Behr's "memoir is intended to pourtray the principal features of an epidemic prevalence of parotitis at Bernberg, in the months of December, 1822, and January and February, 1823. Dr. B. attributes it to the frequent and sudden variations of the atmosphere at that period." He says, "the disease is so rare in this country, that physicians of 30 years standing had never met with it before." Bernberg contains 6000 souls; it is divided into two parts by the Saale, and it is situated on the great road from Leipsic to Magdeburg, in a narrow valley, which runs from N. W. to S. E.
The precursory symptoms were rigors followed by heat, heaviness of the limbs, pains in the joints, especially in the evening, sense of tension in the region of the lower jaw, and sometimes a difficulty in mastication. The appetite was usually natural, with gastric symptoms only in the most severe cases. On the evening of the 3d day, there was an increase of uneasiness with chills and heat, after which the patient commonly enjoyed sweet sleep. The next day, on awaking, he felt tolerably well, and had no more sense of heaviness in his limbs, but his face was swelled on one or both sides. Speech and mastication were effected with difficulty; the lower jaw was comme engourdie, and a dull pain was felt in the ligaments of the joints; the tumefaction increased and soon extended from the ear to the cheek. On a careful examination, it was found to affect the parotid gland, and the surrounding cellular tissue. The tumour was hard, diffused, and not very painful, except on pressure. The colour and temperature of the swollen part were natural. In the evening, the pulse became hard and accelerated, the tongue white, the stools more consistent than common, and the urine pale. The following night he was agitated, frequently awakened by lancinating pains in the affected part, and sometimes by a sense of tension in the head. The following day, the tumour reached its maximum of elevation, and sometimes comprised the submaxillary glands of the same side. From this time, the pains did not increase, and the skin became slightly red only in a very few examples.
The disease having thus reached its acme, a gentle sweat commenced behind the ears, then extended over the whole tumour, and remained as long as the swelling lasted. This evening there was no fever, but a gentle perspiration continued throughout the night. The day following, being the 6th of the disease, the tumour was evidently diminished, and continued decreasing until its final disappearance, which occurred on the 9th, and sometimes on the 7th day. Until this period, abundant local perspirations in the day-time, less abundant, but more general ones in the night, were observable. When the disease was critical by urine with sediment, the diminution of the swelling was dated from this appearance; but the resolution was not perfected in some cases till the 14th day, and in such cases, the integuments of the part were covered with a mealy desquamation. Dr. Behr did not observe any metastasis to the genitals, but he saw cases, in which the disappearance of the swelling, was followed by considerable fever with augoisse, and then an œdema, commonly situated on the head.
He often saw the termination by induration, but this soon yielded to a proper treatment. As to the contagion of mumps, the author thinks, it can only occur where there is desquamation of the integuments; and remarks on the analogy of this circumstance, with what occurs in scarlatina. Dr. Behr thinks, that antiphlogistics are rarely indicated in the treatment of parotitis.
38. Tænia.—In several cases in which gum. gutt., salts of tin, and other medicines, were unsuccessfully used for the expulsion of tape worm, Dr. Bougard succeeded in expelling them with pills compounded as follows: Merc. dulc. Extr. aloes, aa. gr. iij. divided into three pills. This dose was given every evening for eight days, and gradually increased or diminished, so as to procure three stools per diem. A rigorous diet was observed during this treatment.—Rust's Magazin fur die gesamte Heilkunde apud Bulletin des Sci. Med. March, 1826.
39. Scrophula.—Dr. Wetz recommends the employment of caustic potassa in scrophula. He dissolves x grs. of caustic potassa in one ounce of orange-peel water, and gives from xij to xx gtt. four times a day, in a cup of broth. A solution of caustic potassa in six ounces of distilled water, is applied as a wash to the ulcers.—Ibid.
40. Digitalis.—We find in the Propagateur des Sciences Medicales for Feb. 1826, an account of the directions of Dr. Neumann of Berlin, for the employment of digitalis in pulmonic diseases: they are said to be the result of long experience. Digitalis is useless, says the writer, in all cases of suppuration of the lung, consequent to tubercles of that organ. It is of no avail in those suppurations, which succeed inflammatory hæmoptysis. It is employed without success in local phlegmorrhagies of the lungs; but it almost invariably cures those chronic catarrhs, which depend on a state of erethism of the mucous lining of the bronchiæ. This disease is sometimes called chronic bronchitis, sometimes mucous consumption, pulmonic catarrh, and galloping consumption. If the diagnosis in this case be well made out, hopes may be entertained of a cure, one of the two following conditions being present:
A. The patient must be susceptible of the stimulant action of the remedy: this is often not the case. We may be sure the digitalis will not produce its effect, where the pulse of the patient remains uniform and frequent after he has taken it for several days. It does not suit such persons.