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THEORY AND PRACTICE OF NURSING
Author(s) -
V Sandén,
M Nykvist,
Sara
Publication year - 1952
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1952.tb94726.x
Subject(s) - citation , psychology , computer science , library science
no fluids, and had watery diarrhrea. He was intensely jaundiced. During the morning he was given 600 mill ilitres of glucose-saline intravenously (more could not be given because he was very restless and irrational at times) without any apparent effect. His general condition was so bad and was deteriorating so rapidly that it seemed unlikely that he could be kept alive until blood transfusions could be given. There was still autoheemolysts of his red blood cells in Vit1·O. At 3.45 p.m. he was given 500 millilitres of 6% dextran solution intravenously, with dramatic effect. His general condition promptly improved in every way; his respirations dropped to 40 per minute and became much less laboured; his pulse rate dropped to 100 per minute and the beats became much stronger and steadier; within an hour he came to present a totally different picture. After the dextran he was given, intravenously, 500 millilitres of plasma, and then a second flask of 500 millilitres of 6% dextran solution during the night. By the morning of April 9 he was quiet and cooperative and was taking plenty of fluids; his pulse and respirations had further improved in quality; and his urine was copious and much paler in colour. But he had some ascites and moist crepitations at both lung bases, though there was no cedema of the ankles or scrotum. By 11 a.m. he passed urine which was clear of hsemoglobln, and his red blood cells showed no autohremolysis in vitro. Cross-matching of donors was commenced, but because of the fluid in his lungs and abdomen it was decided to postpone transfusions until the next morning; his condition was so satisfactory, even though his red blood cells totalled only 1,800,000 per cubic millimetre, that it was felt safe to do this. Transfusions of whole blood and parenteral iron and liver therapy were commenced on April 10 and he improved rapidly. By April 14 his hremoglobin value was 51% and his red blood cells numbered 2,900,000 per cubic millimetre. On April 14 also antimalarial treatment with "Nivaquin" was commenced. By April 24 his hremoglobin value was 51 % and he was discharged from hospital on April 25. He has been well since.