OF THE TOUCH.
The sense of touching may be hurt by any thing that obstructs the nervous influence, or prevents its being regularly conveyed to the organs of touching; as pressure, extreme cold, &c. It may likewise be hurt by too great a degree of sensibility, when the nerve is not sufficiently covered by the cuticle or scarf-skin, or where there is too great a tension of it, or it is too delicate. Whatever disorders the functions of the brain and nerves, hurts the sense of touching. Hence it appears to proceed from the same general causes as palsy and apoplexy, and requires nearly the same method of treatment.
In a stupor, or defect of touching, which arises from an obstruction of the cutaneous nerves, the patient must first be purged; afterwards such medicines as excite the action of the nerves, or stimulate the system, may be used. For this purpose, the spirit of hartshorn, sal volatile oleosum, horse-radish, &c. may be taken inwardly; the disordered parts, at the same time, may be frequently rubbed with fresh nettles or spirit of sal ammoniac. Blistering-plasters and sinapisms applied to the parts will likewise be of use, as also warm bathing, especially in the natural hot baths.
CHAP. XLV.
OF A SCIRRHUS AND CANCER.
A scirrhus is a hard indolent tumour seated in some of the glands; as the breasts, the armpits, &c. If the tumour becomes large, unequal, of a livid, blackish, or leaden colour, and is attended with violent pain, it gets the name of an occult cancer. When the skin is broken, and a sanies or ichorous matter of an abominably fœtid smell is discharged from the sore, it is called an open or ulcerated cancer. Persons after the age of forty-five, particularly women, and those who lead an indolent sedentary life, are most subject to this disease.
CAUSES.——This disease is often owing to suppressed evacuations; hence it proves so frequently fatal to women of a gross habit, particularly old maids and widows, about the time when the menstrual flux ceases. It may likewise be occasioned by excessive fear, grief, anger, religious melancholy, or any of the depressing passions. Hence the unfortunate, the choleric, and those persons who devote themselves to a religious life in convents or monasteries, are often afflicted with it. It may also be occasioned by the long-continued use of food that is too hard of digestion, or of an acrid nature; by barrenness; celibacy; indolence; cold; blows; friction; pressure; or the like. Women often suffer from the last of these by means of their stays, which squeeze and compress their breast so as to occasion great mischief. Sometimes the disease is owing to an hereditary disposition.
SYMPTOMS.——This disorder seems often very trifling at the beginning. A hard tumour about the size of a hazle-nut, or perhaps smaller, is generally the first symptom. This will often continue for a long time without seeming to increase, or giving the patient great uneasiness; but if the constitution be hurt, or the tumour irritated by pressure, or improper treatment of any kind, it begins to extend itself towards the neighbouring parts by pushing out a kind of roots or limbs. It then gets the name of cancer, from a fancied resemblance between these limbs and the claws of a crab. The colour of the skin begins to change, which is first red, afterwards purple, then bluish, livid, and at last black. The patient complains of heat, with a burning, gnawing, shooting pain. The tumour is very hard, rough, and unequal, with a protuberance, or rising, in the middle; its size increases daily, and the neighbouring veins become thick, knotty, and of a blackish colour.
The skin at length gives way, and a thin sharp ichor begins to flow, which corrodes the neighbouring parts till it forms a large unsightly ulcer. More occult cancers arise, and communicate with the neighbouring glands. The pain and stench become intolerable; the appetite fails; the strength is exhausted by a continual hectic fever; at last, a violent hæmorrhage, or discharge of blood, from some part of the body, with faintings, or convulsion fits, generally put an end to the miserable patient’s life.
REGIMEN.——The diet ought to be light, but nourishing. All strong liquors, and high-seasoned or salted provisions, are to be avoided. The patient may take as much exercise as he can easily bear; and should use every method to divert thought, and amuse his fancy. All kinds of external injury are carefully to be guarded against, particularly of the affected part, which ought to be defended from all pressure, and even from the external air, by covering it with fur or soft flannel.
MEDICINE.——This is one of those diseases for which no certain remedy is yet known. Its progress however may sometimes be retarded, and some of its most disagreeable symptoms mitigated, by proper applications. One misfortune attending the disease is, that the unhappy patient often conceals it too long. Were proper means used in due time, a cancer might often be cured; but after the disorder has arrived at a certain height, it generally sets all medicine at defiance.