Medical reports, on the effects of water, cold and warm, as a remedy in fever and other diseases : whether applied to the surface of the body, or used internally / by James Currie, M.D.

  • Currie, James, 1756-1805.
Date:
1808
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical reports, on the effects of water, cold and warm, as a remedy in fever and other diseases : whether applied to the surface of the body, or used internally / by James Currie, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    5<> quently fponged with tepid water, and the medicines continued. Dec. 15. Noon—Unfavourable fymptoms increafed. Dec. 16. Noon—Vomiting came on, which was re- lieved by opium. His fenfes and his intellect remained acute till within an hour of his death, which happened at eight o'clock in the evening of this day. If this cafe be more detailed than feems neceflary, let this beexcufed, as it is the firft in which the actual heat in confluent fmall-pox has been recorded. It is here given accurately from the period when the difeafe came under my care. In regard to the effects of the cold affufion, it may be obferved, that this remedy was not ufed during the eruptive fever, nor till three days after the eruption had appeared, and the character of the difeafe was decided. In the ftage in which it was employed, the fever and the heat were abating, as is ufual after the eruption j and in all cafes in which the heat is finking, the application of cold muft be made with great caution, as has already been mentioned. After the fecond affufion (on the 8th) the heat funk below its natural ftandard, and continued below it for fome time j fo that this remedy became in- admiflible. The difeafe went through its ufual courfe. The tepid affufion on the eighth day of the eruption (Dec. 11) was ufed in part to wafh off variolous mat- ter, and in part to produce refrefhment. The heat which was before 96 deg. funk two degrees, fo that it could not with fafety be continued, for experience has proved, that the tepid affufion is a powerful means of diminifhing heat. The heat rofe again with the fecon- dary fever, and the patient died of the affection of the throat, as I believe is general in the confluent fmall-