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DELIRIUM TREMENS

Categories: Deformities

This is a brain manifestation of chronic alcoholism
occurring in steady drinkers after excessive drinking or sudden withdrawal

of alcohol, or after sudden excitement or accident, pneumonia or other

illness, or lack of food.



Symptoms. There are restlessness, insomnia (sleeplessness), mental

depression, then active delirium with great restlessness, talking,

muttering, hallucination of sight and hearing. He thinks
e sees objects

in the room such as rats, mice, or snakes, and fancies that they are

crawling over his body, has them in his boots, etc. The terror inspired by

these imaginary objects is great, and has given the popular name of

"horrors" or "snakes" to the disease. You must watch the patient

constantly, or he may try to jump out of the window or escape. The patient

may think he hears sounds and voices, threats of imaginary enemies. There

is much muscular "shakings," the tongue is coated with a thick white fur

and, when protruded, trembles. The pulse is rapid and soft, sleeplessness

is a constant feature. Favorable cases improve in the third or fourth day,

the restlessness abates, the patient sleeps and the improvement sets in.

The shakings persist for some days, the hallucinations disappear

gradually, and the appetite returns. In the more serious cases, the

sleeplessness (insomnia) persists, the delirium is incessant, the pulse

becomes more frequent and feeble, the tongue dry, the prostration is

extreme and death takes place from gradual heart failure.



Treatment. In acute alcoholic cases special measures are seldom required,

as the patient sleeps off the effect of his "spree." If there is deep

profound alcoholic coma, it may be proper to wash out the stomach and if

symptoms of collapse occur, the limbs should be rubbed, and hot

applications made to the body.



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