9, If the Fever has been clearly off for a long Part of the Day; if the Tongue appears in a good healthy State; if the Patient has been well purged; and yet one moderate Paroxysm of the Fever returns every Day, he should take four Doses of the Powder [Nº. 14] between the End of one Return and the Beginning of the next, and continue this Repetition some Days. People who cannot easily procure this Medicine, may substitute, instead of it, the bitter Decoction [Nº. 37]. four Glasses of which may be taken at equal Intervals, between the two Paroxysms or Returns of the Fever.
10, As the Organs of Digestion have been considerably weakened through the Course of this Fever, there is a Necessity for the Patient's conducting himself very prudently and regularly long after it, with Regard both to the Quantity and Quality of his Food. He should also use due Exercise as soon as his Strength will permit, without which he may be liable to fall into some chronical and languishing Disorder, productive of considerable Languor and Weakness. [*]
Chapter XVII.
Of malignant Fevers.
Sect. 242.
hose Fevers are termed malignant, in which the Danger is more than the Symptoms would make us apprehensive of: they have frequently a fatal Event without appearing so very perilous; on which Account it has been well said of this Fever, that it is a Dog which bites without barking.
§ 243. The distinguishing Criterion or Mark of malignant Fevers is a total Loss of the Patient's Strength, immediately on their first Attack. They arise from a Corruption of the Humours, which is noxious to the very Source and Principle of Strength, the Impairing or Destruction of which is the Cause of the Feebleness of the Symptoms; by Reason none of the Organs are strong enough to exert an Opposition sufficiently vigorous, to subdue the Cause of the Distemper.
If, for Instance or Illustration, we were to suppose, that when two Armies were on the Point of engaging, one of them should be nearly deprived of all their Weapons, the Contest would not appear very violent, nor attended with great Noise or Tumult, though with a horrible Massacre. The Spectator, who, from being ignorant of one of the Armies being disarmed, would not be able to calculate the Carnage of the Battle, but in Proportion to its Noise and Tumult, must be extremely deceived in his Conception of it. The Number of the Slain would be astonishing, which might have been much less (though the Noise and Clangor of it had been greater) if each Army had been equally provided for the Combat.