On insufficiency of the aortic valves in connection with sudden death, with notes historical and critical.

  • Cockle, John, 1814-1901.
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On insufficiency of the aortic valves in connection with sudden death, with notes historical and critical. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    credit for knowledge of the affection, but admits it to be of later growth.* Bertin, whose collected writings upon the Diseases of the Heart were edited by Bouillaud and published in 1824, has devoted a most valuable section to the Diseases of the Aorta and Sigmoid Valves, consequent upon inflammation. This distinguished pathologist, however, was so completely fettered by the dogma of Frank, respecting the common occurrence of arteritis, that he has actually (obs. xxvii) detailed a case of Aortic Insufficiency, from dilatation of the mouth of the Aorta, and overlooked it, in consequence of preconceived views. It is headed :—“ Thinning, with Dila- tation of the Walls of the left Ventricle ; Inflammation and Ossification of the Aorta, fyc. Anne Berger, huxtress, setat. forty-seven, had suffered for about two years from spasms and other anomalous symptoms, which were supposed to be of a nervous character, dependent upon the ‘ Critical Period.5 She was treated by various practitioners, who all regarded her complaint as f nervous,5 and prescribed accord- ingly, calmatives and anti-spasmodics, but without success. On her admission into the Hospital Cochin, the eighteenth prairial, an. 11:—She complained of great dyspnoea. Each moment she was in dread of suffocation, and obliged to keep constantly in a sitting position ; she felt, she stated, as if something rose in her throat and threatened to choke her. She complained of a sensation of heat about her head; her legs were slightly swollen. All the arteries sensible to the touch, appeared more dilated than natural: their pulsations were vigorous and accelerated, those of the carotids were very visible, the pulsation of the arch of the aorta occasioned a kind of elevation at the epi-sternal notch. The cubital arteries pulsated violently, and the patient said that she also felt internal pulsations. In constant dread of death, she yielded to despair, and became unconnected in her ideas. The cardiac movements were accelerated, but otherwise exhi- bited nothing peculiar. All the symptoms became aug- mented, and death took place on the 27th of the same month amid violent suffering. Autopsy, twenty-six hours after death. Face tumid; surface of the body marbled, presenting numerous livid patches of considerable extent. The left pleura contained a small quantity of reddish fluid. Heart larger than natural. Bight auricle considerably distended. Nothing particular Op. cit., tome iii, p. 283.