afterwards on the neck, breast, and
body. The pustules gradually enlarge,
and proceed to maturation which is
completed about the eleventh day after
their first appearance, when the in-
flammation and swelling abate, the
eruption beginning to dry and scale
off, and about the fifteenth day it en-
tirely disappears. The confluent sort
is attended with more violent symp-
toms than the distinct, but observes the
same period of termination. Dr. Beach
says, “The effluvia is very offensive;
and I have seen worms, or maggots
crawling in the flesh ; and yet the pa-
tient has recovered." This disease
generally terminates favourably under
judicious treatment, unless the subject
of it is intemperate, in which case it
proves very dangerous, or fatal.
Treatment. — The great object is
to assist nature to expel the morbific or
poisonous matter from the system. If
the patient has much vomiting, give 10
or 12 grains of bicarbonate of potash
in balm tea twice or thrice a day. The
bowels must be opened by gentle
aperients, (page 21,) attention must
be given to the skin, and medicine
given to produce a gentle determina-
tion to the surface. Take an infusion
of saffron and catnep, or balm and
hyssop, with xo drops of elixir of
vitriol ; this will aid nature to drive out
the eruption, by producing a moisture
of the skin. It should be repeated
several times. Bathe the feet twice a
day in warm ley water, and wash the
body with the same liquid warm ; do
not neglect this if the fever is high.
If there is pain in the head apply a
mustard poultice to the soles of the
feet in addition to bathing the feet and
legs in warm water. Apply to the
head cloths dipped in vinegar and
water, or whiskey and warm water.
Let the room of the patient be well
ventilated, and often sprinkle it with
vinegar and water ; do not cover him
up close. Give warm diluents, as balm,
spearmint, pennyroyal, catnep, &c. ;
any of these will do. If the throat be
sore, administer the remedies under
Sore Throat. Sage tea, a little vinegar,
and a little borax, form a good gargle.
The Expectorant Tincture is very useful.
If the debilitv is great, and the
strength gradually sinking, give tooicR,
SMA
364
SMA
as quinine dissolved In elixir of vitriol ;
10 or x.s drops in balm tea three or
four times a day. If there is consider-
able irritation, give 8 or 10 drops of
laudanum in the Saline Draught , page
345. Or, give from 5 to 10 grains of
the Diaphoretic Powder, page 160.
Sudorifics are also very serviceable,
especially when the pustules are flabby,
and not well filled.
If the symptoms become unfavour-
able, as the striking in of the eruption,
great fever, and delirium, black tongue,
&c., the danger is very great. In such
case, give immediately the vapour bath
of bitter decoction, and an emetic ; then
give a decoction of saffron and Virginia
snakeroot with a teaspoonful or two of
sweet spirit of nitre. Give also the
Sudorific Powder, and at intervals the
Seidlitz Powder. Sponge the surface of
the body with warm water. If there is
any tendency to putrescency in the
fluids, give a wineglassful of yeast
several times a day.
Dr. Anthony Thompson says, “The
sulphuric acid combined with wine is
the only remedy on which we can rely
in the confluent small pox, when the
pustules are filled with a bloody sanies,
and the urine is coloured by broken-
down particles of blood.”
Camphor is valuable in this disease.
Consult me
1902Page 457
Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
afterwards on the neck, breast, and body. The pustules gradually enlarge, and proceed to maturation which is completed about the eleventh day after their first appearance, when the inflammation and swelling abate, the eruption beginning to dry and scale off, and about the fifteenth day it entirely disappears. The confluent sort is attended with more violent symptoms than the distinct, but observes the same period of termination. Dr. Beach says, “The effluvia is very offensive; and I have seen worms, or maggots crawling in the flesh ; and yet the patient has recovered." This disease generally terminates favourably under judicious treatment, unless the subject of it is intemperate, in which case it proves very dangerous, or fatal.
Treatment. — The great object is to assist nature to expel the morbific or poisonous matter from the system. If the patient has much vomiting, give 10 or 12 grains of bicarbonate of potash in balm tea twice or thrice a day. The bowels must be opened by gentle aperients, (page 21,) attention must be given to the skin, and medicine given to produce a gentle determination to the surface. Take an infusion of saffron and catnep, or balm and hyssop, with xo drops of elixir of vitriol ; this will aid nature to drive out the eruption, by producing a moisture of the skin. It should be repeated several times. Bathe the feet twice a day in warm ley water, and wash the body with the same liquid warm ; do not neglect this if the fever is high. If there is pain in the head apply a mustard poultice to the soles of the feet in addition to bathing the feet and legs in warm water. Apply to the head cloths dipped in vinegar and water, or whiskey and warm water. Let the room of the patient be well ventilated, and often sprinkle it with vinegar and water ; do not cover him up close. Give warm diluents, as balm, spearmint, pennyroyal, catnep, &c. ; any of these will do. If the throat be sore, administer the remedies under Sore Throat. Sage tea, a little vinegar, and a little borax, form a good gargle. The Expectorant Tincture is very useful.
If the debilitv is great, and the strength gradually sinking, give tonic,
SMA
SMA
as quinine dissolved In elixir of vitriol ; 10 or x.s drops in balm tea three or four times a day. If there is considerable irritation, give 8 or 10 drops of laudanum in the Saline Draught , page 345. Or, give from 5 to 10 grains of the Diaphoretic Powder, page 160. Sudorifics are also very serviceable, especially when the pustules are flabby, and not well filled.
If the symptoms become unfavourable, as the striking in of the eruption, great fever, and delirium, black tongue, &c., the danger is very great. In such case, give immediately the vapour bath of bitter decoction, and an emetic ; then give a decoction of saffron and Virginia snakeroot with a teaspoonful or two of sweet spirit of nitre. Give also the Sudorific Powder, and at intervals the Seidlitz Powder. Sponge the surface of the body with warm water. If there is any tendency to putrescency in the fluids, give a wineglassful of yeast several times a day.
Dr. Anthony Thompson says, “The sulphuric acid combined with wine is the only remedy on which we can rely in the confluent small pox, when the pustules are filled with a bloody sanies, and the urine is coloured by brokendown particles of blood.”
Camphor is valuable in this disease.