Hospital Reports

Abstract

be inclined to doubt whether these evidences of the dis. --ease were not somewhat exaggerated, but it is not so. I have detailed to you as correctly as I can everything relative to the symptoms and order of their occurrence as they attack myself individually, without any reference whatever to any medical author. I am generally free from the affection about the latter end of July, and I think I may say by the end of the first week in August, no traces of its existence remain manifest. It is equally severe in London as in the country. I am always worse during the day, and if in the forenoon the sun is shining bright, I hardly dare venture out of doors, the intolerance of light being almost unbearable. The relief which is experienced for a few hours after a heavy shower of rain, can hardly be imagined, and the symptoms are always less distressing in wet weather. Again, it nearly always leaves me for a short time, sometimes a day or two after a thunder-storm; and to this partly, is my presence before you now to be attributed, for you will remember that yesterday we had a considerable amount of thunder and lightning; this circumstance, moreover, would tend to favour the idea entertained by some, both with respect to this, as well as to influenza, that the cause is to be attributed to some change in the electrical condition of the atmosphere-whether to an accumulation or deficiency of the electric fluid I am not enabled tostate. Ipecacuanha, it may be remarked, has no further effect upon me than the application of any other pulverulent matter would be suipposed to have. On several occasions a pinch has been taken, the same as one would take a pinch of snuff, without producing any effect. I need hardly state that this was ,done merely by way of experiment. A sudden draught will bring on an attack immediately, which will continue for an hour or two, or even longer. One word may, perhaps, be desirable, relative to that from which it has derived its name, I mean hay, which brings on an attack, especially if it be new, almost instantaneously; and what is very remarkable and curious is, that I can always tell when any hay is approaching me, even if I do not see it. On one occa. sion, when walking in London with my friend Dr. Robert Growse, of Bildestone, I suddenly stopped, remarking that I would take any even wager that there was some hay close by. Before the doctor could hardly reply, a cart full of hay passed the end of the street down which we were proceeding. I could, were it necessary, relate to you many other similar occurrences; the one, however, which I have mentioned, is sufficient to verify my statement, and time will not allow of more. What then, gentlemen, is the cause of this periodical, but unwelcome visitor ? I should feel inclined to differ somewhat from the opinion of Dr. Gordon, who supposes that it is produced by pollen from one particular plant, viz., the anthoxanthum odoratum, -or sweet-scented vernal grass; and for this reason, because I am always attacked at least three weeks before the anthoxanthum is in blossom. If I may be -allowed to offer my opinion, I consider it to be attributable to an idiosyncrasy of constitution, whereby the whole of the gastro-puimonary mucous membrane is rendered susceptible of irritation, that irritation being produced by the pollen from a certain class of plants which blossom at that time of the year when the affection is prevalent. I refer to the whole family of the graminacese, rather than to any individual plant. Aknd now, gentlemen, one word with respect to the treatment. It would, indeed, be preposterous in me, were I to make remarks on all the so-called remedies which have been recommended by various writers; suffice it to say, that I have tried very many of them, and all without effect; never have I found anything which afforded me the slightest permanent relief. Hot water fomentations, drinking hot water, cold water draughts, effervescing mixtures, pressure on the -bridge of the nose, have all in their turns carried off a paroxysmal attack of sneezing; but the good fortune of finding any thing capable of allaying the almost intolerable itching of the eyes and nose, has never fallen to my lot. Dr. Owen Rees, Assistant-physician to Guy's Hospital, recommended large doses of dilute sulphuric acid. I commenced with twenty minims three times a day, which, according to the direction of the Doctor, I gra. dually increased, until I arrived at a dose of one drachm three times a day. This had no other effect more than occasionally favouring me with a violent pain in the bowels, which compelled me to desist. Dr. Golding Bird and Dr. Gull, in consultation, recommended the disulphate of quinine with iron; this I continued to take for some considerable time, commencing at the ordinary dose, and increasing it gradually, which, however, proved equally ineffectual. Strychnia, recommended by Dr. Addison, in doses varying from the one-twentieth to one-twelfth of a grain, ter in die, was tried, but proved useless. Arsenic, sulphate of zinc, tincture of the lobelia inflata, snuff; laudanum, salines of all kinds, iodine, and a host of others which now escape my memory, have all had pretty fair trials, which, as remedial agents in hay. fever, are all on a par. Such, then, gentlemen, is the hay-fever in my case. If you can kindly suggest any thing, I shall be only too glad to give it a fair trial, and report to you the effect at your next meeting. Some apology may be necessary for the little interest which this case is likely to afford you, nor indeed ghould I have considered it worthy of your attention, had not the subject been introduced to your notice, and myself as a sufferer, at a previous meeting of the Association.