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Different story in Dickens' day In 1870 Charles Dickens was half way through writing The Mystery of Edwin Drood when he sat for dinner, turned ashen, babbled, stood up and then fell to the floor unconscious.

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From: Herald Express (Torquay UK)
Date: 20070707
Author:

In 1870 Charles Dickens was half way through writing The Mystery of Edwin Drood when he sat for dinner, turned ashen, babbled, stood up and then fell to the floor unconscious.

The local doctor administered an enema and advised hot bricks for his feet. When Dr Beard arrived from Harley Street he correctly diagnosed a stroke before charging 20 guineas.

Not much had changed in the treatment of strokes by the time I was a student 100 years later, although we did not give enemas and hot bricks. If someone collapsed with a stroke they were nursed for 48 hours and would either recover, partially ...

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