Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Thomas Latta, What Have We Done? — The Hazards of Intravenous Therapy

1976; Massachusetts Medical Society; Volume: 294; Issue: 21 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1056/nejm197605202942111

1533-4406

Richard J. Duma,

History of Medicine Studies

Although Harvey discovered the circulation in 1616, it was not until 216 years later, in 1832, that fluids for infusion, or large-volume parenterals, were first administered intravenously. During the cholera epidemic that swept Europe in the late 1820's, Thomas Latta, a practicing physician in Leith, Scotland, rescued a number of cholera victims by infusing into their veins several pounds or more of water containing 2 drachms of muriate and 2 scruples of carbonate of soda per 60 ounces of water.1 It is now 144 years since Latta's marvelous discovery, and the "blessings" of such therapy continue to flow. In 1973, . . .