SECT. V.
Of the Venereal Disease
I have written and published a full treatise of this disease; divided in three parts; namely, I. An anatomical and physiological description of the genital parts of both sexes. II. An ætiological enquiry in the various stages of this disease. III. A true and rational method of cure. Nevertheless I shall here concisely give a safe method of the cure, in its various local degrees. But to those who would wish to know more circumstantial the true nature of that malady, and of the animal œconomy, I must refer to the above treatise.
The venereal disease may be considered in different degrees; namely the first and second infection.
To the first, I consider the gonorrhœa or clap, the phimosis, paraphimosis, chordee, priapism, shankers, dysuria, bubo, swelled testicles, and venereal excrescences, in their various degrees, in a local state. To the second infection, I consider those diseases that proceed from the venereal virus, infecting the whole mass of blood; namely cutaneous diseases; glandular diseases; diseases of the bones; dry pox; and the confirmed lues itself.
The first infection is what I shall here briefly consider, and give such remedies, which though simple and few, will prove efficacious. But the second I shall here only consider in the general.
Of the Gonorrhœa.
The gonorrhœa or clap, commences with an agreeable tickling in the urethra, attended with a thin limpid ouzing, which however soon degenerates into a disagreeable pain. A discharge of sharp fœtid matter, gradually commences with a scalding of urine; the præpuce and glans sometimes swells, with inflammation and a painful involuntary erection, which adds considerable pain to the patient, and under which, the whole system seem disordered.
When all these symptoms appear, there is no room left to doubt a confirmed clap.
The first thing to be done, is to take some of the fever powders (L) in order to promote a perspiration, and to abate the scalding of the urine.
In the next place, and which is the principal object; have immediate recourse to my antacrid injection, which is simply this,
No. XXI
Take clean water one ounce, Calomel (N) one scruple, Mix it, and shake it when it is made use of.
Let this be injected up into the urethra, three times of the day, which if duely performed will stop the evil in its first bud; and prevent all the generally attending consequences. For it perfectly eradicates all the malignities of the venereal virus; prevents shankers, priapism, chordee, and any farther spreading of the infection. At the same time the calomel should be given internally; namely the pills, No. [X]. to be taken every morning one.
Of the Phimosis, and paraphimosis.
A Phimosis is when the præpuce is so swelled, that the glans cannot be uncovered; and a Paraphimosis is when the præpuce is swelled behind the glans, so as not to cover the glans. Either way proceeds from the venereal virus having insinuated itself into the præpuce.
If the injection, No. [XXI]. is made use of in time, all this will be prevented; but sometimes it is of a very stubborn nature. If the inflammation is very great, the poultice, No. [II]. should immediately be applied, to which it will yield; being of a very powerful quality, particularly, if to the poultice mercurial ointment (P) two drachmes is added, by which it becomes an immediate antidote to the venereal virus.
Of the Chordee, and Priapism.
A priapism is an involuntary erection; and the chordee is a stricture in the urethra, by which the penis is bent either ways, according to the seat of the contraction, this however is generally downwards; whereby it makes the involuntary erection prodigiously painful.
It proceeds from some imprisoned virus in the urethra; which together with its contraction, irritates the penis to erection.
The antacrid injection No. [XXI]. will generally, if timely applied, prevent this; but if by neglect, or the great virulence of the venom, it has actually commenced, recourse should be had to mercurial ointment; which should three or four times of the day be rubbed on the penis. Should the priapism be very violent, the poultice, No. [II]. with the addition of mercurial ointment (P) must be applied.
Of the Dysuria.
The dysuria is a scalding of the urine in the urethra; this likewise is obviated by timely using the injection, No. [XXI]. or No. [VIII]. But when it is actually become troublesome, drink plentifully of diluting drinks, such as balm tea, &c. and take a few fever powders which will soon set this to right again; particularly as that is a symptom which generally vanishes, as the disease becomes milder.
Of Shankers.
These are little ulcers coming upon the glans, the frænum, and the præpuce of the yard. They are not only troublesome, but sometimes tedious in the cure; the antacrid injection No. [XXI]. if timely applied, will generally prevent them.
But sometimes these very unwelcome visitors will appear even without a clap; and then they generally gain great ground, before timely remedies can be applied.
The injection No. [XXI]. should in this case be injected betwixt the præpuce and glans; but if this is not sufficient, apply the following.
No. XXII
Take mercurial ointment, two drachmes; calomel (N), two scruples; precipitate (O), ten grains. Mix it into an ointment.
By the dressing with this, all the shankers will speedily heal up.
If warts sprout out, they should immediately be cut off, with a pair of good sharp scissars, and then dressed with the above ointment.
Shankers, when they appear, without a previous gonorrhœa or clap, ought always to be taken as a forerunner of the pox itself; and the patient must have immediately recourse to the mercurial pills, No. [X]. one to be taken night and morning, in order to prevent the threatening evil consequences.
Of the Bubo.
A Bubo is a swelling that appears on a venereal infection, sometimes in one, sometimes in both groins. This swelling proceeds either from a transposed virus, or comes as the first messenger of a venereal infection.
A bubo appears with symptoms of a heavy dull pain in the groin, which on examination discovers itself with a little kernel that is painful to the touch: If left to itself it gradually encreases both in bulk as well as in pain, and at length forms a collection of matter.
The moment a bubo appears, take a purge, No. [IX]. rub the part in the groin with mercurial ointment, and spread a mercurial plaister the bigness of a crown-piece, which, (the hair being removed,) lay on the part; let it remain on, till it separates from the skin, and the swelling is dispersed; the patient should be kept warm, and not have much exercise; at the same time the body should be kept open.
By this means the bubo will soon disperse, and the virus be destroyed in its first bud. But if it has already gained too much head to be dispersed, and matter is formed, it becomes larger and soft, and a fluctuation of matter is felt, then suppuration must be promoted; and when ripe be opened as soon as possible, for an outlet of the matter.
When it is come to its maturity, (that is the matter plainly perceived,) open it and dress it like an ulcer, first with the ointment, No. [I]. and when it discharges pretty well, dress it with the ointment, No. [XXII].
By this management, though easy, you will not fail of success.
Of Swelled Testicles.
The venereal virus is liable to attack the testicles, which makes one of the most disagreeable circumstances of all venereal diseases; sometimes one, and sometimes both will be the seat of this complaint.
It begins with a heavy dull pain, attended with a disagreeable tightness in the spermatic vessels, leading from the testicle into the bowels. Gradually the testicle swells, becomes hard and grows very painful, and if not timely remedied, a suppuration, or a scirrhus, or even a gangrene and sphacelus, may be the consequences.
The moment the pain in the testicles is perceived, remove the hair all round the scrotum, and apply a mercurial plaister spread upon leather; over which put a suspensorium, and tie it up to the body as tight as it can be borne; which together with a purge, No. [IX]. will not fail of giving immediate relief.
The patient should be kept as quiet as possible; for hard labour not only retards the cure, but becomes very painful. Should this not be sufficient, apply the poultice, No. [II]. with the mercurial addition as warm as sufferable, and repeat it as often as it is necessary for keeping it warm to the part. By this method it will not fail of dispersing.
Should it however against all expectation come to a suppuration, it must be opened the same as another aposthume, and treated accordingly. But should a scirrhus, or a mortification ensue, extirpation is the only recourse. For which see my treatise.
Of Venereal Excrescences.
Besides all these disorders before mentioned that are the consequence of impure coition, there is one more to be mentioned, and that is a variety of disagreeable excrescences, which sometimes arise about the penis, the scrotum perinæum, and about the fundament.
When these appear, I generally take it for granted, that the pox is in the blood, and the patient ought to be treated accordingly.
If there is a possibility of extirpating them, either by a bistoury, or a pair of good sharp scissars, it ought to be done, and dressed with the following ointment.
No. XXII
Take mercurial ointment (P), and precipitate (O) equal parts: mix them.
The roots of these stubborn companions are frequently seated very deep; if this is particularly taken notice of, together with proper internal medicines, the excrescences taken away at the root, and the ointment applied, they may all of them soon be drove off from the field.
Of the second Infection.
In regard to the second infection, this is too tedious here to enter into, and to do properly justice, I must refer the reader to the treatise itself.
All I have at present to say, is, that my method of cure is particularly easy and simple, in itself; and I am happy to think at the same time, that it is more efficacious, than any former method, or practice, made use of.
The antacrid injection No. [XXI]. is the most efficacious for subduing the gonorrhœa, and all the evil consequences in that part; and the other mercurial preparations in the manner I have recommended them, is equally powerful.
I am utterly averse to salivation; it is using mercury as a poison; very few have ever been cured by it, and those few have been more indebted to their good constitution, than the treatment which they have with so much danger undergone. But many, very many, have had their constitutions ruined by salivation, past the art of man to recover; and thousands have been sent miserable objects to the grave.
I am also averse to bleeding in venereal cases, unless the greatest necessity requires it; for in general it serves only to infect all the fluids, since the veins emptied, will naturally absorb from all parts of the body, and thence liable to infect the whole mass of blood. Purging needs but be used very sparingly.
Mercury inwardly taken, should be used with the greatest moderation, and taken in very small doses; for with such judicious management it becomes one of the best medicines in the whole Materia Medica; but if abused, it is converted into a poison. The decoction of the sassafras should be plentifully made use of during the whole course of the venereal disease.
And lastly, from the real effect that the mercury has on the blood, I must add, that the same gentle method with respect to its internal use, as is recommended for the first infection, must also be pursued for the second infection; let the malignities be ever so bad, even in the most inveterate diseases of the bones themselves; with this difference, that in proportion as the disease is engrafted, time must be allowed for the cure.
Nature may be led by the gentle hand of assistance, and tenderness; but he who attempts to do good by main force, acts as a fool, and deceives not only himself, but those who are so unfortunate, as to trust to his pretended skill.