Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 915

JOHN FOTHERGILL (1712-1780) Of a painful affection of the face. (In Medical observations and inquiries. Vol. 5, (1776), pp. 129-142.) 20.8 cm.

For more information on this author or work, see number: 914

Although Fothergill is perhaps best known for An account of the sore throat attended with ulcers (see No. 914), he also contributed many short papers summarizing observations concerning diseases he faced in his daily practice. These papers were based on his direct experience and are still valuable today because he was not significantly influenced by the many erroneous medical theories of the period. His papers were first presented to the local Medical Society (of Physicians) and subsequently published in one of the six volumes of Medical observations and inquires. In the present paper Fothergill first clearly describes that manifestation of facial neuralgia later called tic douloureux and now better known as trigeminal neuralgia. He carefully distinguished the site and characteristics of the pain common to the disorder so it could be clearly identified from other affections of the face. Fothergill indicated that it is chiefly found in women over forty years of age. He discussed therapeutic remedies and commented that he had good success with extract of hemlock. His work laid the foundation for his great-nephew, Samuel Fothergill (1780-1822), who traced the origin of the disease to the fifth cranial nerve in 1804.

Cited references: Garrison-Morton 4516

Gift of John Martin, M.D.