Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

135

Diaphoretics

in the brain effusions of lymph of a pus like nature, and taking all the symptoms into consideration it appears to be Typhus combined with Erysipelatous Inflamation. "Treatment". The Practitioners seem generally to have adopted two modes of practice, "first" the profuse use of direct stimulants, and the "Second" The sweating plan. I have tried both and have now no hessitation in deciding in favor of the latter, and in fact nearly all agree to it now. Among the most active means to procure diaphoresis none are so efficacious as the Dovers Powders, Wine Whey, fomentations, and hot Toddy. I have always affected a cure where I could induce perspiration, when any topical affection supervene blisters to the parts will remove it, in the last stage the free exhibition of Vol. Alkali is the "Anchor of Hope" 10 grains

137

Diaphoretics

every half hour in hot Toddy, Madaira Wine &, the sudden sinking should be opposed by Dessicatories, but we possess verry few capable of acting, the preparation invented by Doct Hartshorn is the only one now in use, that is a decoction of cantharides in Spirit of Turpentine. This formidable disease first made its appearance about 6 years ago in the most distant parts of the Eastern States and spread its ranges South. In this place it prevail’d with great mortality and caused of the greatest ornament to our school. Besides this new form of Typhus there is another produced by long exposure to cold which exerts its sedative operation so far as to extinguish almost every vital faculty. These symptoms are torpor, cold skin, insensibility, loss of muscular power &c. The warm bath, dry heat,

139

Diaphoretics

warm and cordial Stimulants internally, with powerfull one externally are generally used, tho often they have no effect at all, from the great insensibility of the system, the symptoms now become worse, the pulse quick and small, eyes glassy, peculia haggard, languid countenance, occasional delirium, dry skin &c. In this state they often lay 8 or 10 days even weeks under the exhibition of Vol. Alkali, wine, capsicum, hot toddy &c. And now stimulating Sudorifics are indicated.

Contagious Fevers. Or rather fevers produced by contageon, they are admirably adapted. The humoral Pathologists were of opinion that they depended upon a particular morbid matter generated in the system or received from without