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

by S. A. D. Tissot

The Signs which portend a Recovery are, a little more Strength in the Pulse; a more concocted Urine; less Dejection and Discouragement; a less confused Brain; an equal kindly Heat; a pretty warm or hot Sweat in a moderate Quantity, without Inquietude or Anguish; the Revival of the different Senses that were extinguished, or greatly suspended in the Progress of the Disease; though the Deafness is not a very threatening Symptom, if the others amend while it endures.

This Malady commonly leaves the Patient in a very weak Condition; and a long Interval will ensue between the End of it, and their recovering their full Strength.

§ 247. It is, in the first place, of greater Importance in this Distemper than in any other, both for the Benefit of the Patients, and those who attend them, that the Air should be renewed and purified. Vinegar should often be evaporated from a hot Tile or Iron in the Chamber, and one Window kept almost constantly open.

2, The Diet should be light; and the Juice of Sorrel may be mixed with their Water; the Juice of Lemons may be added to Soups prepared from different Grains and Pulse; the Patient may eat sharp acid Fruits, such as tart juicy [⁶⁵] Cherries, Gooseberries, small black Cherries; and those who can afford them, may be allowed Lemons, Oranges and Pomgranates.

3, The Patient's Linen should be changed every two Days.

4, Bleeding is very rarely necessary, or even proper, in this Fever; the Exceptions to which are very few, and cannot be thoroughly ascertained, as fit and proper Exceptions to the Omission of Bleeding, without a Physician, or some other very skilful Person's seeing the Patient.

5, There is often very little Occasion for Glysters, which are sometimes dangerous in this Fever.

6, The Patient's common Drink should be Barley Water made acid with the Spirit [Nº. 10], at the Rate of one Quarter of an Ounce to at least full three Pints of the Water, or acidulated agreeably to his Taste. He may also drink Lemonade.

7, It is necessary to open and evacuate the Bowels, where a great Quantity of corrupt Humours is generally lodged. The Powder [Nº. 35] may be given for this Purpose, after the Operation of which the Patient generally finds himself better, at least for some Hours. It is of Importance not to omit this at the Beginning of the Disease; though if it has been omitted at first, it were best to give it even later, provided no particular Inflammation has supervened, and the Patient has still some Strength. I have given it, and with remarkable Success, on the twentieth Day.

8, Having by this Medicine expelled a considerable Portion of the bad Humours, which contribute to feed and keep up the Fever, the Patient should take every other Day, during the Continuance of the Disease, and sometimes even every Day, one Dose of the Cream of Tartar and Rhubarb [Nº. 38]. This Remedy evacuates the corrupt Humours, prevents the Corruption of the others; expells the Worms that are very common in these Fevers, which the Patient sometimes discharges upwards and downwards; and which frequently conduce to many of the odd and extraordinary Symptoms, that are observed in malignant Fevers. In short it strengthens the Bowels, and, without checking the necessary Evacuations, it moderates the Looseness, when it is hurtful.