The family physician : or, Domestic medical friend : containing plain and practical instructions for the prevention and cure of diseases, according to the newest improvements and discoveries : with a series of chapters on collateral subjects : comprising every thing relative to the theory and principles of the medical art, necessary to be known by the private practitioner : the whole adapted to the use of those heads of families who have not had a classical or medical education / by Alexander Thomson, M.D.

  • Thomson, Alexander, M.D.
Date:
1802
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The family physician : or, Domestic medical friend : containing plain and practical instructions for the prevention and cure of diseases, according to the newest improvements and discoveries : with a series of chapters on collateral subjects : comprising every thing relative to the theory and principles of the medical art, necessary to be known by the private practitioner : the whole adapted to the use of those heads of families who have not had a classical or medical education / by Alexander Thomson, 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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    In this condition the patient often continues for five or fix days, with a heavy, pale, funk countenance •, feemingly not very fick, and yet far from being well: reftlefs, anxious, and commonly de- prived of deep, though fometimes very drowfy and heavy; appear- ing to thofc about him actually to fleep, but is himfelf fo infenfible of it, that he does not acknowledge he has flept at all. The pulfe during all this time is quick, weak, and unequal; fometimes fluttering, and fometimes for a few moments flow, perhaps even intermitting: and then, with a fudden flufh in the face, immediately very quick; foon after which, it may again be furprifingly calm and equal. The heats and chills are equally variable with the pulfe: fome- times a fudden glow arifes in the cheeks, while the tip of the nofe and ears are cold, and the forehead at the fame time in a cold dewy fweat. It is even common for high colour and heat to appear in the face when the extremities are quite cold. The urine in this fever is commonly pale ; frequently of a iherry or natural colour, containing either no fediment, or a kind of loofe matter like bran, fcattered up and down in it. The tongue at the beginning is fel- dom or never dry or difcoloured, but fometimes covered with a thin whitifh flime; but at length it often appears very dry, red, and chapped, chieiiy towards the crifis of the difeafe ; though the patient icarcely ever complains of third, but fometimes of a heat in the tongue. About the feventh or eighth day the giddinefs, pain, or heavinefs of the head becomes much greater, with a conftant noife in it, which is very diflurbing to the fick, and frequently precedes a delirium. On fuddenly fitting up in bed the patient is apt to faint. Frequently profufe fweats break forth all at once, about the ninth, tenth, or twelfth day, commonly coldifh and clafmmy on the extremities. Often likewifc very thin (tools are difcharged. Nature now finks apace : the extremities grow cold, the pulfe rather trembles than beats; the delirium now ends in a profound lethargy, and death foon fucceeds. Moft patients grow deaf and flupid towards the end of this difeafe. It is not uncom- mon for them to languifh fourteen, eighteen, or twenty days in this fever, and fometimes a much longer period. Causes.—This fever is in general the confequence of a weak- nefs of the nerves, brought on by unwholefome food, damp, foul air, immoderate watchings, hard ftudy, fatigue, grief, and, in fhort, whatever greatly diminifhes the ftrength of the conftitution. Cure.—This fever requires that the patient be fupported by a diet moderately generous. Chicken broth, beef-tea, and light jellies, as well as panada, fhouldbe allowed ; and a little wine may be mixed with the latter, according as the fymptoms may require. For ordinary drink, wine-whey, or negus, fharpened with the juice