Lung Abscess

Lung abscess may develop because of various factors. In cases where an abscess develops as a complication of pneumonia the patient’s general condition gradually becomes worse. Sometimes the first clinical manifestations of a chill, pain in the affected side, fever elevating to 39° - 40°C, and loss of appetite are present. There is a profuse perspiration at night, dry cough, and a considerable increase of the white blood cell count up to 20,000 per cu mm of blood and accelerated ESR. Both fever and the increase in the number of leucocytes depend on the presence of pus in the cavity. When pus is evacuated from the thoracic cavity the temperature decreases and the white blood cell count returns to normal. The repeated increase of white blood cells may be observed when pus is again accumulated in the cavity.

The course of the lung abscess may be divided into two periods: that before and that after the rupture of the abscess into a bronchus. The length of the first period varies in different cases. The second period begins from the moment of the abscess rupture into a bronchus usually with 0.5 litre or more of sputum discharge. After the rupture of sputum into a bronchus, the body temperature returns to normal, and the patient’s general condition becomes better. The sputum discharge gradually reduces in its amount. The appetite increases, the white blood cell count and ESR return to normal. Within 4-5 weeks of effective treatment complete recovery is usually observed in most cases of lung abscess.

IV. Перевод текста со словарем.

Sleep

Sleep is a periodic resting condition of the body and especially of the nervous system.

There is a natural rotation of sleeping and waking every twenty-four hours, and sleep comes on commonly during the night when little work can be done. Sleep is not, however, a necessary consequence of darkness, as is proved by those persons who have to work in the night and sleep by day, and who easily adapt themselves to this condition.

Many theories have been advanced as to the cause of sleep. One theory depends upon the well-known fact that the brain receives a much smaller blood supply during the sleeping than in the waking state.

Another theory is the chemical one that sleep is due to want of oxygen in the nerve centres.

A third theory raises the question as to whether the mind remains active during the period of sleep.

None of these theories explains the direct cause of sleep, although each probably accounts for the main cause of different circumstances.

When sleep comes on, the eyes are closed as a rule, though in man, even when they are left open, the sense of sight is quickly lost as the sleep deepens. The pupils contract also during sleep and dilate widely as the person wakens.

Hearing is lost more slowly and a person can be wakened even from deep sleep by a loud noise. In natural sleep touch remains the least affected of senses and even the lightest touch will awaken many people from deep sleep. With regards to the onset of sleep as it affects the mind will-power is the first faculty to go and the last to appear in wakening¹. The association of ideas and power of reasoning next disappear and people are worried in light sleep by some simple idea which cannot explain or understand.

Memory and imagination remain longest, and in dreams the mind is presented with a series of bright, unconnected pictures. The part of the brain which regulates the power of movement is late in falling asleep, sleeps only lightly since people may turn and make various other movements without waking.

Other parts of the body as well as the brain, rest during sleep.