Practical illustrations of the scarlet fever, measles, and pulmonary consumption : with observations on the efficacy of sulphureous waters in chronic complaints / by John Armstrong.

  • Armstrong, John, 1784-1829.
Date:
1818
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Practical illustrations of the scarlet fever, measles, and pulmonary consumption : with observations on the efficacy of sulphureous waters in chronic complaints / by John Armstrong. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    most part the thirst is not very urgent, yet the functions of the stomach are always impaired, and the alvine evacuations often somewhat darker than common. The pyrexia slightly remits in the morning, and rising in the course of the day, mostly reaches its highest point about bed-time, when a slight delirium sometimes occurs. But, as Heberden justly remarks, there is no form of fever in which such an occurrence is of so little con- sequence as in this; for as it proceeds from the exacerbations, so it almost always disappears on the approach of the remissions. The second stage, or that of excitement, seldom continues longer than four or five days, when it is followed by one of slight collapse, in which the pyrexia disappears, the pulse becomes slower and softer, and the skin more relaxed. About the time that the excite- ment gives way, the efflorescence begins to re- cede, and fades entirely away about the seventh day ; after which there are commonly more or less scurfiness and desquamation of the cuticle. Agreeably to my observations, the above is the common form and course of the simple scarlet fever. But it is occasionally of shorter duration, and in general terminates most favourably; because there is hardly any internal congestion in the first stage, only a short and moderate excitement in the second, and of course no serious collapse in the third. Yet having now and then seen this variety, suddenly as well as gradually, pass into that form