If he sinks into the collapse and lies quiet, indifferent to everything, the pulse sinking, or he is pulseless, Carbo Veg. will sometimes arouse and restore him, hopeless as the case appears. It should be given once in half an hour until the pulse begins to rise. If, however, instead of being quiet he is restless and thirsty, give Arsenicum in alternation with Carbo Veg., repeating the dose as above directed. In some cases, after all the active symptoms cease, the patient will become quiet and drop to sleep, and instead of the pulse rising, as it will if he is recovering, it sinks, or does not appear if he has been pulseless, and the breathing becomes irregular and feeble—he is sinking. If aroused, he sinks back into the stupor in a few moments as before. Laurocerasus is a specific for this condition. It should be given once an hour until he is aroused.
If, however, besides the stupor, the head is hot, the face red, the breathing oppressed, the pulse slow and sluggish, Opium is to be used, and may be given in alternation with Laurocerasus.
For the irritation of the brain, and furious delirium that sometimes sets in after the cessation of cholera symptoms, Secale and Belladonna in alternation will prove specific.
Let the patient have warm or cold drink as he prefers, and let his covering be light or plentiful as is most agreeable. As soon as he gets easy, and the vomiting and purging cease, and his pulse begins to return, keep him quiet as possible, let the room be darkened and everything still, so that he may go to sleep, which he is inclined to do, this being the surest restorer. I am quite sure I have known several patients carried off by a return of the disease, after it had been effectually arrested, in consequence of sleep being prevented by the rejoicing officiousness and congratulations of friends, disturbing and preventing that early and quiet slumber which nature so much needs, and must have, or hopelessly sink. The diet for two or three days after recovery, should be a little oat meal gruel or rice.
Small Pox—Variola.
This disease begins with pain in the head and back, chilly sensations, followed by a high fever, so similar in all respects to a severe attack of Bilious or "winter" fever, that it is difficult or impossible to distinguish it with certainty, as Small Pox. The fact of the prevalence of the disease at the time, and the exposure of the patient, may lead the Physician and friends to suspect Small Pox. There is one very striking symptom of Small Pox, however, that exists from the beginning, which, though it may be present in fever simply, is not uniformly so. This is a severe and constant aching pain in the small of the back. The headache is also constant.
The Small Pox is of two varieties or degrees, distinct and confluent. The distinct is when the pustules are separated from each other, each one a distinct elevation, with more or less space between them not affected by the eruption.
The confluent is where the pustules spread out from their sides and run together, covering the whole surface as one sore.
It may be distinct on some parts, as on the body, and confluent on others, as the arms, face, and parts most exposed to the air.
In the Distinct variety the fever continues without abatement until the eruption appears, when it entirely subsides, and that quite suddenly. The eruption comes out about the third day of the attack, sometimes not discoverable until the end of the third or beginning of the fourth day. The eruption is at first very slight, beginning with small red pimples on the forehead, upper part of the cheeks, neck and upper part of the breast, extending by degrees to the arms, and other parts of the body and limbs. About the end of the fourth or forepart of the fifth day, the eruption is complete.