OF
Paralytic Complaints.
Some of the Soldiers, from lying out in the Nights on the wet Ground, and from doing Duty in cold rainy Weather, were seized with a Pain and Numbness all over, and lost the Use of their Limbs, which in some was succeeded with a Palsy of these Parts: But the greatest Number of those afflicted with Paralytic Symptoms were seized with them either in Fevers, or after feverish and other Disorders. The Number, who were attacked with Complaints of this Kind, were but few.
When Men were suddenly taken with Pain and Numbness all over, we found that the best Method of treating them was to put them to Bed, and give them Plenty of mild warm diluting Liquors for Drink; and if there was much of a Fever, to open a Vein, to give the cooling antiphlogistic Medicines, and apply Blisters; and if these Complaints still remained, to endeavour to promote a breathing Sweat, by means of Diaphoretics and warm Drinks. Several who were brought to the Hospital, soon after being seized in this Manner, got well; but in some few, one or other of the Limbs would begin to waste, and remain paralytic afterwards.
Those who had the true confirmed Palsy seldom remained long enough with us to be cured. Two or three received Benefit from Blisters applied to the Parts, and from Issues; drinking at the same time the Decoction of the Woods, or of Sarsaparilla, and taking the volatile Tincture of Guaiac or Valerian[95], and being sweated by the Use of Dover’s Powder, or other Diaphoretics.
One Man of the 51st Regiment of Foot, after doing Duty in very cold wet Weather, in the Beginning of the Year 1762, was seized with a Palsy of one Side of his Face, which prevented him from speaking distinctly, and was an Impediment to his eating. He mended much after being blooded, and having a large Blister to his Neck, kept open for some time by means of the epispastic Ointment.
FOOTNOTES:
[95] On Wednesday the 1st of February 1764, Margaret Julion, a Woman between fifty and sixty Years of Age, was admitted into St. George’s Hospital for an entire Loss of Speech, which seemed to depend on a paralytic Disorder of the Parts about the Larynx. The Account her Friends who came with her to the Hospital gave of her Case was, that she had been for five Months troubled at Times with Pains of her Bowels, and a Purging; that on Sunday se’night before coming to the Hospital, she had suddenly lost the Use of her Speech, and had not spoke since that Time, though she seemed to hear and understand whatever was said to her. I asked her some Questions, which she answered distinctly by Signs. She had no paralytic Complaint of her Face, Arms, Legs, or any other Part of her Body, and swallowed both Fluids and Solids with Ease. She had no Fever, and seemed to complain of nothing but the Loss of Speech.—A Blister was applied to her Neck, and she was ordered the saline Draughts, with a Scruple of Powder of Valerian in each, to be taken three Times a-day, and a Dose of sacred Tincture, to be taken twice a-Week. She followed this Course for a Fortnight, when another Blister was applied to the Fore-part of the Neck, and the Powder of Valerian in the Draughts was changed for two Drachms of the tinctura valeriana volatilis. At the End of three Weeks she could pronounce the two Words Why, What. She continued the same Course till this Day, the 16th of March, and can now pronounce many Words and short Sentences.
OF AN
Incontinency of Urine.
An Incontinency of Urine was another Complaint frequent among the Soldiers; but it seemed to me to be counterfeited by many. All, who had it, said that they had received some Hurt[96] or Sprain of the Back, or a Kick from a Horse, or that a Carriage had run over them.