Contents and Preface to:

Remarks on Irritative Fever, Commonly Called the Plymouth Dock-Yard Disease

By John Butter

Devonport: Printed by Congdon & Hearle for Underwoods, Fleet Street, London;
Black, Edinburgh, and Macarthur, Dublin, (1825) xviii, 302pp.

Prepared by Michael Steer

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PREFACE

WILLIAM SHIELD, ESQ.
COMMISSIONER
OF HIS MAJESTY'S ROYAL NAVAL YARD,
AT DEVON-PORT,
&-c. &c. &c.

Sir,
Presiding as you do, over one of the
most important Naval Arsenals in Great
Britain, it has been no less your wish, I am
well assured, than your duty, to regard with
interest, the health of that respectable class of
Artificers, who have invariably distinguished
themselves, under your command, for industry,
ingenuity, talent, and good conduct.
The subject of the following pages
struck such a panic amongst them during the
last summer, that I feel a pleasure in sending
forth to the world an explanation of it, under
the sanctioned auspices of your name.
Be pleased, Sir, to accept this public
token of respect, with which,
I have the honor to be.
Your very obedient and humble Servant,
JOHN BUTTER


CONTENTS

Case I.
William Cowle, puncture from a nail - page 1 . Fever fifteen
days duration. Death, Remarks 4.

Case II.
John Henwood, hand lacerated by a saw - p. 6. Fever
sixty-seven days duration. Metastasis 8. Death. Remarks 9

Case III.
John Bate, fore finger jammed off - p. 12. Fever five days
duration. Dissection p. 13. Death. Remarks 14.

Case IV.
William Butters, nail sprung - page 17. Recovery.
Remarks p. 20.

Case V.
Robert Home, contusion of toe - p. 23. Fever fifteen days-
Death. Dissection and Remarks p. 27

Case VI.
Gregory Nichols, contusions on shin - p. 33. Fever six
days. Death. Dissection 36. Remarks 37. Scrophulous
Kidney. Note 40-1.

Case VII.
William Lobb, blow from a spike nail - p. 42. Erysipelas
OEdematodes. Recovery. Remarks 45.

Case VIII.
John Rawlings, finger jammed - p. 49. Duration of fever
Six days, Death, Remarks, 52

Case IX.
Dr. Boll - p. 57. His mental anxiety 58. Dissection
wound ibid. Five days fever. Death. Remarks 62. Professor
Dease 71. Mr. Hutchinson 79. Mr. Egan 82.

Case X.
John Walkie - p. 85. Abrasion on inner ankle. Five days
fever. Examination 90. Death. Remarks 91.

Case XL
William Reeves - p. 101, Abrasion of shin. Erysipelas
Phlegmonodes. Incision tried 104. Recovery. Remarks 108.

Case XII
William Taylor - p. 116. Lacerated wound of great toe,
by a saw ibid. Five days fever ibid. Death.

Case XIII.
John Quick - p. 118. Compound fracture of great toe ibid.
Six days fever. Death.

Case XIV.
John Long - p. 119. Contusions on thumb and left leg.
Two days fever. Death.

Case XV.
Thomas Beer- p. 120. Synoptical View, &c 120.
Prevalence of wounds 121
Mechanics, their occupations 122
Mr, Dryden, his own complaints 123
Cowan, Dr. his letter 125
Identity considered 126


CAUSES SUPPOSITITIOUS.

Teak-wood, 132. Mineral Tar, 134. Dressings, 136.
Air, 137. Journal of Weather, by Captain Rotheram, 139.
Pering's Roofs, 143. Poison considered, 145. Arrangement
of external Irritants, 148. Susceptibility explained, 151.
Dissection Wounds, 154. Opinions of Dr. Colles, Mr. Aber-
nethy, and Sir Astley Cooper, 156. His excellent letter, 158.
Dr. Anthony Todd Thompson's own case, 160.
His opinions 161.

CAUSES DEFINED.

Icliosyncracics and Temperaments explained, 161. Peculiar
effects of Opium and Emetics 163. Bugs and Leeches, ibid
Blisters, 164. Eruptions, ibid. Bougies, 165. Tooth drawn, ibid.
Ulcers, death from, Osborne, 166. Retention of Urine, 168.
Sage, his death, 168. Wood, his death, 170. Chancres
exciting erysipelas. - Mr. Hunter, his opinion, 171.
Variolousand Vaccine Matter inducing Erysipelas and Death, 172.
Tumours followed by erysipelas, 173. Anna Shaw, ibid.
Case by Mr. Abernethy, 174. Puncture from nail, death, 175.
Puncture from glass in a horse, 176. Puncture veins inflamed,
176. Fractures do ill in London, ibid. Lithotomy, ibid.
Puerperal Fever, 178. Psoas Abscess, 179. Friction, ibid.
Corns and Warts, 180. Bite of of a Rat, 181. Hospital
Gangrene, 184. Dr. Hennen's. remarks, 185.
Susceptibility coming into action without any local provocation
187. William Lug, sloughing of finger, 189. Shoemaker's
Wife, 190. Deaths of an eminent Physician and Surgeon, 191.
Morbid susceptibility formed both mentally and corporeally, 191.
By want of rest, watching, anxiety, suppressed discharges
unwholesome victuals, as muscles, crabs, cold fruits,
spirits, mercury 198. Ergot, Barley, Raphanus bad
wheat, case of Bolt, 193. Papaw-tree 194. Murrain in
cattle ibid. Scurvy ibid. Fish 195.
Sources of Morbid Susceptibility 196. Galen, his opinion
on Blood and Bile ibid. Desault on Bile ibid. Larrey on
Bile 197. Richter and Pinel on Gastric Irritation 197.
Mr. Abernethy on Disorder of the Digestive Organs ibid.
Want of Morbid Susceptibility exemplified 198. Bullets,
effects of ibid, Pins and Needles when swallowed 199.
Guinea Worm ibid. Anasarca Hid. Emphysema 200
Weakness and Strength considered 201. Mr. Abernethy 's
admirable Letter 203.
Symptoms and Diagnosis 208. Inflammation an objectionable
term 217. Disease named Irritative fever 219.
Morbid Anatomy 219
Prognosis 221
Local Treatment 222. Lotions 223. Fomentations, &c. 224.
Dressings and Bandages 225. Turpentine as a Prophylactic
226. Incisions 228. Heated Irons preferred by the French
230. Dr. Hutchison's excellent Letter 232. Caustic considered
235. Oil 236. Salt ibid. Ligature 237 Blisters, 238.
General Treatment 239. Blood-letting considered 242.
As a Remedy 246. Definition of a Remedy 247. No remedy
in this fever 248. Proved by the deaths of twelve out of
thirteen patients who were blooded ibid. Also by nineteen
out of twenty 249. Opinions of Dr. Colles and Dr. Duncan 250,
Mr. Abernethy 252, Sir A. Cooper ibid, Mr. Shaw 253,
Boron Boyer 254, Mr. Pott ibid, Mr. Hunter 114,
Dr. Willan, 255
Leeches 258, Mercury 260. Its action 262. Antimony
64. Emetics and Purgatives 266. Bark 268. Its efficacy,
in Diseases, 269. Opinions of Pott 270, Boyer 271, Hunter
ibid. Cullen and Willan, 272, Underwood, 273. Cinchonine
and quinine, 275. Drs. Elliotson and Dickson's trials, 276.
My own case, 278, cured by bark, 285.
Opium considered 288. Its power of resisting mortification,
289. Stimulants when most proper 290. Ammonia 293.
Musk and Castor, 296. Brandy 297. Gin 298. Diet 299.
Sedatives ibid.
General Summary, 301.