Orwell’s Cough
I just read an advance copy of Shakespeare's Tremor and Orwell's Cough
by John J. Ross, M.D. It examines some of the literary greats (Shakespeare, Jonathan Swift, Herman Melville, etc.) from the viewpoint of a doctor, diagnosing what medical problems they may have suffered from (they tended to be a sickly bunch), and also discussing what medical "cures" doctors of the time subjected them to. It's good stuff that I imagine will appeal to many WU readers.
For instance, Jonathan Swift suffered from bouts of dizziness and deafness. Here's Ross on how 18th Century medicine treated him:
by John J. Ross, M.D. It examines some of the literary greats (Shakespeare, Jonathan Swift, Herman Melville, etc.) from the viewpoint of a doctor, diagnosing what medical problems they may have suffered from (they tended to be a sickly bunch), and also discussing what medical "cures" doctors of the time subjected them to. It's good stuff that I imagine will appeal to many WU readers.For instance, Jonathan Swift suffered from bouts of dizziness and deafness. Here's Ross on how 18th Century medicine treated him:
Swift took a variety of useless medication for his 'giddiness.' These included asafoetida, the herb so foul-smelling that it is known as devil's dung, as well as 'nasty steel drops' (a crude iron supplement). Swift also took something that he called 'a vomit.' This vile treatment was based on the ancient Galenic theory of ridding the body of evil humours. It could have been one of many drugs, ranging from the merely unpleasant (ipecac) to the potentially toxic (arsenic or antimony). Had Swift taken arsenic or antimony only rarely, he probably would not have had long-term side effects, as most of the dose would have quickly left the body in the urine and from both ends of the gastrointestinal tract. His doctor pal John Arbuthnot prescribed confection of alkermes (a scarlet syrup in which the active ingredient was crushed parasitic insects), the vigorous laxative castor oil, and cinnabar of antimony (mercuric sulphide). Swift thought the cinnabar helped. This is just possible: some mercury compounds are mild diuretics.
Comments
I thought it said "Orwell's CouCh". That would be interesting, wouldn't it? A fictional account of the things they might have said to a therapist?
Posted by Anonypenguin on 07/19/12 at 04:10 PM
I remember a discussion in a university physics class about how many founders of modern Physics and Chemistry also dabbled in Alchemy. The result was a number of them suffering from heavy metal poisoning. Of course I couldn't help but think of my mother's admonition that listening to Heavy Metal music would ruin my mind and hearing. Just one of those funny connections that you make at the time.
Posted by KDP on 07/19/12 at 05:53 PM
KDP -- Ross covers that briefly in his book. He talks about how Isaac Newton suffered a few months of derangement when he was 50, most likely because of chemical experiments that gave him mercury poisoning.
Posted by Alex on 07/19/12 at 07:36 PM
And, yet, they're still PRACTICING.
When I'm confronted by a new doctor I give them these 2 shots. If they don't survive I move on.
#1: Q: What do you call the guy who graduated last in his class at medical school?
A: Doctor!
#2: Q: What's the difference between God and a doctor?
A: God doesn't think He's a doctor.
When I'm confronted by a new doctor I give them these 2 shots. If they don't survive I move on.
#1: Q: What do you call the guy who graduated last in his class at medical school?
A: Doctor!
#2: Q: What's the difference between God and a doctor?
A: God doesn't think He's a doctor.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 07/20/12 at 10:24 AM
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Category: Medicine | Books