This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1918 Excerpt: ... milk. If the patient can be sure of good excretion, large quantities of fluid may be taken; but it is very important that the elimination be watched; if an appreciable portion of the fluid remains it adds quantity to the fluid in the blood vessels and thus does harm. As a purgative and also to aid in getting rid of ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1918 Excerpt: ... milk. If the patient can be sure of good excretion, large quantities of fluid may be taken; but it is very important that the elimination be watched; if an appreciable portion of the fluid remains it adds quantity to the fluid in the blood vessels and thus does harm. As a purgative and also to aid in getting rid of the fluids, mercury probably holds first place. A patient with simple hypertension but otherwise well should have recreation periods one or more times a week and vacations not too infrequently. He should take a brisk purgative perhaps once in a fortnight or once in a week. Such physical methods as sweat baths, electric light baths and similar measures may be utilized as occasion demands. If there is insomnia a dose of chloral may be given as needed but this should not be continued over long periods. If any other drug is needed nitroglycerin may be tried. If arteriosclerosis is present sodium iodid in small doses, 3 grains (0.2 gm.) two or three times a day may be serviceable. After a period which may be termed the normal period of hypertension in normal life, as age advances the systolic tension may lower, provided there is no kidney lesion. This is due to the slowly developing chronic myocarditis and a lessening of the tension and therefore lessening of the resistance to the heart. When the blood pressure is suddenly excessively high from any cause venesection may be life saving and should perhaps be more frequently utilized than it is. It may save a sudden heart attack or a cerebral hemorrhage. Patients with high tension may be bled frequently and as much as half a pint taken at a time. Such treatment will not long save life, as the blood pressure in most cases soon returns to its previous height. DRUGS IN HYPERTENSION The drugs that are most ...
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