They were treated in the antiphlogistic Method.—The Patients were blooded liberally in the Beginning—took the cooling nitrous and saline Medicines—gentle Diaphoretics and Purgatives—and used frequent Gargarisms.
Sometimes a Flannel rubbed with camphorated Oil, or the linimentum volatile, and applied round the Neck, was of Service.—And frequently after bleeding sufficiently, where the Breathing or Swallowing was difficult, the Application of a large Blister to the Neck gave speedy Relief.
OF THE
PLEURISY.
The Pleurisy, or an acute Inflammation of the Side, was most frequent among the Soldiers towards the latter End of the Campaigns; though some were attacked with it at all Times of the Year, from doing Duty in all Sorts of Weather.
We followed the antiphlogistic Method of Cure; and ordered plentiful Bleeding in the Beginning, till the Violence of the Pain began to abate, or the Patient grew faint;—and the Side to be fomented with Flannels dipped in warm emollient Decoctions, and afterwards rubbed with volatile Liniments: At the same Time the Patient drank freely of warm diluting Liquors, as Barley Water, the pectoral Decoction, and such like; and took the saline and other cooling Medicines, mixed occasionally with Sperma Ceti, or some other soft Pectorals, if there was a tickling Cough.—When the Patient was costive, we gave a Dose of Salts, or some other mild Physic, or laxative Clysters.
If the Pain continued very acute, we repeated the Bleeding as often as Necessity seemed to require, and the Pulse could bear; and immediately after the second Bleeding ordered a large Blister to be applied to the Part affected.
Physicians formerly used to forbid Bleeding after the fourth Day, if it had been omitted so long; but when no Symptoms of Suppuration had already appeared, on whatever Day of the Disorder it happened, I ordered plentiful Bleeding, the same as in recent Cases; and never found any Disadvantage, but often great Service from this Practice.
When the Sharpness of the Pain was gone, and the Pulse became soft, very often a dull Pain remained for some Time in the Part.—In some Cases a brisk Purge removed it;—in others, cupping above the Part, and afterwards rubbing it with the volatile Liniments, did Service;—in others, gentle Opiates at Night, especially where there was a tickling Cough;—and in one or two Cases, this Pain did not go away, till the Patient was ordered to drink every Day for some Time, a Quart of the Decoction of Sarsaparilla with the antimonial Wine.
In the Course of this Disorder, if a kindly Moisture broke out on the Skin, which gave Relief, this was encouraged by the Use of mild warm Liquors; or if the Patient began to spit up a viscid or yellowish Mucus, we endeavoured to keep up the Expectoration by the Use of mild Pectorals; and if a Purging came on, we were careful not to check it too soon, unless it was so violent as to be in Danger of sinking the Patient.
When an Inflammation of the Side came to Suppuration, which happened in one or two Cases at Osnabruck, in May 1761; as soon as a Fluctuation of Matter was to be felt, an Incision was was made in the Part, and the Matter discharged; after which the Sore healed kindly, and the Patients recovered[51]. I am persuaded, was this Operation oftener performed, many would recover who die consumptive.