Observations on the Etiology of Seasickness, with Special Reference to Cardio-Vascular Changes and Indications for Treatment

Hill, John (1936) Observations on the Etiology of Seasickness, with Special Reference to Cardio-Vascular Changes and Indications for Treatment. MD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

In the history of human ills seasickness is of immemorial lineage. For centuries it has been a subject of study obscured by unverified speculation and false analogy. An insuperable difficulty inherent in the problem is that it does not lend itself to controlled experimental observation and conclusive proof. Therefore no study of seasickness can be complete without some clear conception of its mode of origin. In the attempt to achieve some separation of fact from fancy, three fundamental axioms, based upon universally accepted observations, must first be postulated. 1. Excluding cases of sheer suggestion, which do not properly pertain to this subject, MOVEMENT OF THE SHIP IS A CONSTANT ANTECEDENT FACTOR. Symptoms increase up to a point as movement becomes more pronounced; diminish a movement becomes less; and nearly always vanish at the end of the voyage. 2. Whatever may be their source of origin or mode of action, THE DISTURBING STIMULI FINALLY RESULT IN A FUNCTIONAL DERANGEMENT OF THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM. 3. Many sufferers find that their symptoms tend to abate after a certain lapse of time, even if there be no lessening of the movement of the ship. This shows that A PROCESS OF ADAPTATION OCCURS. Further proof of adaptation is the diminishing tendency to seasickness exhibited by the majority of people on successive voyages. Immunity thus acquired is in many at first only special to the ship in which it develops; later it may or may not become general. Depending upon these three groups of facts, the subject thus divides Itself naturally under three headings I. THE IMMEDIATE EFFECTS OF MOVEMENT; II. THE FINAL RESULTS; and III. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF IMMUNITY.

• Item Type: Thesis (MD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Medicine, Neurosciences
• Date of Award: 1936
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1936-80069
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 03 Mar 2020 09:46
• Last Modified: 03 Mar 2020 09:46
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/80069