OCR Text |
Show 104 Time of inflammation further illustrated. guish and by others of operation too subtile for our senses or our present methods of employing them-as perhaps by a thunder cloud passing over head. 103 This fever assumed three principal forms. .1. " The first began with great pain in the forehead or oc‘ ciput, and very often by painful tension in the Joins; each preceded by slight chills, which occurred irregularly on the following days. Tongue white, yellowish or brown, particularly at the base. Some have a bitter, clammy, unctuous taste, others nausea with weight at the epigastrium, depres- sion at first not sufficient to confine patients to bed; Time qf inflammation in feverfurllzer illustrated. The fullest collection of dissections would be of very inferior use, speculative or prac- tical, unless we should be enabled, by com- paring the symptoms with the appearances brought to light, to judge of the moment, when great local changes are taking place, and of the necessity of a treatment adapted to this contingency. I cannot therefore be satisfied to quit this important topic with- out risking my reader's loss of patience by furtherillustration. I do not see how it can be betterillustrated than by the particulars of an extensive and diversified epidemic, such as is not unusual in our latitudes. The example would be little to the purpose, if it were singu- lar, or if the observer had been inattentive, or had taken either side in the question, in which we are engaged. The proper conditions seem to me united in the following account, by Dr, Boucher, of. an epidemic fever which raged in the district of Lille during the year 1758. some even go abroad and undertake some slight labour. Pulse scarce quicker or more forcible than in health: but more or less contracted or embarrassed. No sensible exacerbations or sweats : nothing remarkable in the urine 3 only in cases with the lumbar affection it passes with difficulty-- blood of rather a deep colour-coagulum has little firmness 3 serum more or less yellow." 2. " Variety 2. Violent head-ache, flushed countenance, bloodshot eyes, great prostration, oppression and general lassitude; quick and sharp pulse,- sweatat the going oil" of the cxacerbations, high coloured urine; all preceded by strong rigors. Blood from vein, of a high crimson colour, little sev rum ; white, firm buffy coat." 3. " V. 8rd. In autumn and winter it began in some cantons with symptoms of catarrhal fever, as cough, oppressio n of Chest, pungent pain of side, flushed cheeks, hard pulse, to- gether with the symptoms of var. lst. blood thick, of a deep red-buff thin, marbled or greenish, pretty firm in the first bleedings : with little consistence in the succeeding." 4. " In var. lst. great prostration of strength about the 4th day-eyes sunk, conjunctiva red, slight weeping in the cornerS, the embarrassment at the epigastrium increases; affects the chest, if that were previously free-load over the region of the heart -pulse more frequent, but little raised in force, easily compressed; skin dry, often burning; tongue brown, blackish and dry at the base; dryness becoming ge~ neral |