CHAPTER II.
GAIN OR LOSS OF WEIGHT CLINICALLY CONSIDERED.
The gentlemen who have done me the honor to follow my clinical service
at the State Infirmary for Diseases of the Nervous System[2] are well
aware how much care is there given to learn whether or not the patient
is losing or has lost flesh, is by habit thin or fat. This question is
one of the utmost moment in every point of view, and deserves a larger
share of attention than it receives. In this hospital it is the custom
to weigh our cases when they enter and at intervals. The mere loss of
fat is probably of small moment in itself when the amount of restorative
food is sufficient for every-day expenditure, and when the organs are in
condition to keep up the supply of fat which we not only require for
constant use but probably need to change continually. The steady or
rapid lessening of the deposits of hydro-carbons stored away in the
areolae of the tissues is of importance, as indicating their excessive
use or a failure of supply; and when either condition is to be suspected
it becomes our duty to learn the reasons for this striking symptom.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25