5, When the Flux of Blood is totally stopt, the Patient is to be kept as still and quiet as possible; taking great Care not to extract the Tent which remains in the Nose; nor to remove the Clots of coagulated Blood which fill up the Passage. The loosening and removing of these should be effected very gradually and cautiously; and frequently the Tent does not spring out spontaneously, till after many Days.
§ 514. I have not, hitherto, said any thing of artificial Bleeding in these Cases, as I think it at best unserviceable; since, though it may sometimes have stopt the morbid Loss of Blood, it has at other times increased it. Neither have I mentioned Anodynes here, whose constant Effect is to determine a larger Quantity of Blood to the Head.
Applications of cold Water to the Nape of the Neck ought to be wholly disused, having sometimes been attended with the most embarrassing Consequences.
In all Hæmorrhages, all Fluxes of Blood, great Tranquillity, Ligatures, and the Use of the Drinks [Nº. 2] or [4], are very useful.
§ 515. People who are very liable to frequent Hæmorrhages, ought to manage themselves conformably to the Directions contained in the next Chapter, [§ 544]. They should take very little Supper; avoid all sharp and spirituous Liquors; Apartments that are over hot, and cover their Heads but very lightly.
When a Patient has for a long time been subject to Hæmorrhages, if they cease, he should retrench from his usual Quantity of Food; accustom himself to artificial Bleedings at proper Intervals; and take some gentle opening Purges, especially that of [Nº. 24], and frequently a little Nitre in an Evening.
Of Convulsion Fits.
§ 516. Convulsions are, in general, more terrifying than dangerous; they result from many and various Causes; and on the Removal or Extirpation of these, their Cure depends.
In the very Fit itself very little is to be done or attempted.
As nothing does shorten the Duration, nor even lessen the Violence, of an epileptic Fit, so nothing at all should be attempted in it; and the rather, because Means and Medicines often aggravate the Disease. We should confine our Endeavours solely to the Security of the Patient, by preventing him from giving himself any violent Strokes; by getting something, if possible, between his Teeth, such as a small Roller of Linen to prevent his Tongue from being hurt, or very dangerously squeezed and bruised, in a strong Convulsion.