The subcutaneous injection of quinine in malarious fevers : a paper read before the International Medical Congress at Amsterdam, in September, 1883 / by J.B. Scriven.

  • Scriven, J.B.
Date:
[1883]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The subcutaneous injection of quinine in malarious fevers : a paper read before the International Medical Congress at Amsterdam, in September, 1883 / by J.B. Scriven. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    from the well fed gentleman to the imperfectly nourished pauper lunatic. I have very seldom had to perform it more than once in any one illness ; if a second operation has been necessary a few- days after the first, I have done it in the other forearm. One great advantage of Dr. Aitchison's solution of the ordinary sulphate of quinia is its high concentration, fifteen minims containing five grains, whereas the solubiUty of the neutral sulphate in water is only one in twelve. In an adult, I inject from fifteen to twenty minims; in one case of a child, under- a year, I injected seven minims. The effect of one such injection has, in the majority of instances, been very decided, no paroxysm following the next day, though often occurring in a mitigated form the same day. Afterwards, there has generally been an immunity from fever for weeks or months, such as a much larger dose by the mouth, even when frequently repeated, has often failed to produce. Dr. Buzzard's syringe, above alluded -to (specimen shown), has a gold stem or nozzle one inch long, of which the point is steel, and the orifice is on the side of the stem, about, one-sixth of an inch from the point. I introduce this, as far as it will go, keeping the orifice on the under side. When the instrument is withdrawn, the finger is applied over the small puncture for about half a minute. Most commonly none of the solution escapes, and often not one drop of blood. If there is any bleeding, I place a small fragment of burnt cotton upon the puncture, and l)ress gently upon it. It is well to give the arm complete rest for a few days from the moment of operating, in order to limit or prevent inflammation. I think it is important that no oil should be applied either to the nozzle of the syringe, or to the w^asher of the piston, the quinine solution lubricating the latter sufficiently : nor should carbolic acid be used. The solution should be fresh, and of course care must be taken not to inject any air. Formerly I used to filter my solution, but finding that great part of it was absorbed by the filtering paper, and that when unfiltered it was free from visibly undissolved particles, I ceased to do this, and have had no reason to regret it.