A CASE OF A BOY WHO IN 1813 SWALLOWED A PIECE OF COPPER AS REPORTED BY JAMES JACKSON, M.D

Abstract

James Jackson (1777-1867) has been described as the most conspicuous character in the medical annals of Massachusetts. He was the first physician to the Massachusetts General Hospital when it was opened in 1821. In 1812, he succeeded Benjamin Waterhouse as the Hersey Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School. The following case history will interest readers of PEDIATRICS both for its clarity of presentation and for Dr. Jackson's clinical reasoning.

In October, 1813, G. B. a boy in his fourth year, swallowed a half cent. There ensued almost immediately a nausea and a great flow of saliva from the mouth. Within twenty-four hours the patient began to vomit. He contirtued to vomit at intervals for eight days; and at sometimes it was almost incessant for hours, and in the highest degree distressing. He threw off his victuals and some bile; but much of the time, he was troubled with vain retchings. About the fifth day, he had three very offensive and copious stools, which were uncommonly green. He derived some relief from these evacuations. He often complained of pain in the abdomen, which seemed to be in the umbilical region.

The first solid food which he retained was in the night of the eighth day. He then awoke and called for brown bread; and he continued to demand this, with great vehemence, until he had eaten three large slices. He retained them all, and from that time was convalescent. For several weeks he experienced nausea whenever he attempted to swallow animal food, although he chewed it abundantly.