Advice to the people in general, with regard to their health

by S. A. D. Tissot

As long as the Fever keeps up extremely violent; while the Patient does not expectorate sufficiently; continues raving; has a violent Head-ach, or raises up pure Blood, the Glyster [Nº. 5] must be given thrice, or at least twice, in twenty four Hours. However the principal Remedy is Bleeding. As soon as ever the preceding cold Assault is over, twelve Ounces of Blood must be taken away at once; and, if the Patient be young and strong, fourteen or even sixteen. This plentiful Bleeding gives him more Ease, than if twenty four Ounces had been drawn, at three different Times.

§ 50. When the Disease is circumstanced as described ([§ 46]) that first Bleeding makes the Patient easy for some Hours; but the Complaint returns; and to obviate its Violence, as much as possible, we must, except things promise extremely well, repeat the Bleeding four Hours after the first, taking again twelve Ounces of Blood, which pretty often proves sufficient. But if, about the Expiration of eight or ten Hours, it appears to kindle up again, it must be repeated a third, or even a fourth Time. Yet, with the Assistance of other proper Remedies, I have seldom been obliged to bleed a fourth Time, and have sometimes found the two first Bleedings sufficient.

If the Disease has been of several Days Duration, when I have first been called; if the Fever is still very high; if there be a Difficulty of Breathing; if the Patient does not expectorate at all, or brings up too much Blood; without being too solicitous about the Day of the Disease, the Patient should be bled, though it were on the tenth. [²⁰]

§ 51. In this, and in all other inflammatory Diseases, the Blood is in a very thick viscid State: and almost immediately on its being drawn, a white tough Skin, somewhat like Leather, is formed on its Top, which most People have seen, and which is called the pleuritic Crust. It is thought a promising Appearance, when at each Bleeding it seems less hard, and less thick, than it was at the preceding ones: and this is very generally true, if the Sick feels himself, at the same Time, sensibly better: but whoever shall attend solely to the Appearance of the Blood, will find himself often deceived. It will happen, even in the most violent Inflammation of the Breast, that this Crust is not formed, which is supposed to be a very unpromising Sign. There are also, in this Respect, many odd Appearances, which arise from the smallest Circumstances; so that we must not regulate the Repetitions of our bleeding, solely by this Crust: and in general we must not be over credulous in supposing, that the Appearances in the Blood, received into the Bason, can enable us to determine, with Certainty, of its real State in the Body.

§ 52. When the sick Person is in the Condition described ([§ 47]) the Bleeding is not only unattended with Ease; but sometimes it is also pernicious, by the sudden Weakness to which it reduces him. Generally in such a Case all Medicines and Means are insignificant: and it is a very bad Sign in this Disease, when this Discharge is not attended with Ease and Benefit to the Sick; or when there are some Circumstances, which oblige us to be sparing of it.

§ 53. The Patient's Legs should every Day, for one half Hour, be put into a Bath of warm Water, wrapping him up closely; that the Cold may not check that Perspiration, which the Bath promotes.

§ 54. Every two Hours he should take two Spoonfuls of the Mixture [Nº. 8], which promotes all the Discharges, and chiefly that of Expectoration.

§ 55. When the Oppression and Straitness are considerable, and the Cough dry, the Patient may receive the Vapour of boiling Water, to which a little Vinegar has been added. There are two ways of effecting this; either by placing below his Face, after setting him up, a Vessel filled with such boiling hot Water, and covering the Patient's Head and the Vessel with a Linen Cloth, that may inclose the Steam; or else by holding before his Mouth a Spunge dipped in the same boiling Liquor. This last Method is the least effectual, but it fatigues the Patient considerably less. When this bad Symptom is extremely pressing, Vinegar alone should be used without Water; and the Vapour of it has often saved Patients, who seemed to have one Foot in the Grave: but it should be continued for several Hours.

§ 56. The outward Remedies directed in [Nº. 9.] are also applied with Success to the Breast, and to the Throat.

§ 57. When the Fever is extremely high, the Sick should take every Hour, a Spoonful of the Mixture [Nº. 10]. in a Cup of the Ptisan [²¹] but without diminishing on this Account the usual Quantity of his other Drinks, which may be taken immediately after it.