All other Plaisters, which are partly compounded of greasy, or of resinous Substances, are very dangerous: they often repel, or strike in the Erisipelas, occasioning it to ulcerate, or even to gangrene. If People who are naturally subject to this Disease should apply any such Plaister to their Skin, even in its soundest State, an Erisipelas is the speedy Consequence.
§ 282. Whenever the Humour occasioning the Distemper is repelled, and thrown upon the Brain, the Throat, the Lungs, or any internal Part, the Patient should be bled; Blisters must be applied to the Legs; and Elder Tea, with Nitre dissolved in it, should be plentifully drank.
§ 283. People who are liable to frequent Returns of an Erisipelas, should very carefully avoid using Milk, Cream, and all fat and viscid, or clammy Food, Pies, brown Meat, Spices, thick and heady Liquors, a sedentary Life, the more active Passions, especially Rage, and, if possible, all Chagrin too. Their Food should chiefly consist of Herbage, Fruits, of Substances inclining to Acidity, and which tend to keep the Body open; they should drink Water, and some of the light white Wines; by no Means omitting the frequent Use of Cream of Tartar. A careful Conformity to these Regulations is of real Importance, as, besides the Danger of the frequent Visitations of this Disease, they denote some slight Indispositions of the Liver and the Gall-bladder; which, if too little attended to, might in Time prove very troublesome and pernicious.
Such mineral Waters as are gently opening are very proper for these Constitutions, as well as the Juice of Succory, and clarified Whey, of which they should take about three Pints every Morning, during the five or six Summer Months. This becomes still more efficacious, if a little Cream of Tartar and Honey be added to it.
Of the Stings, or little Wounds, by Animals.
§ 284. The Stings or little Bites of Animals, frequently producing a kind of Erisipelas, I shall add a very few Words concerning them in this Place.
Of the Serpents in this Country none but the Vipers are poisonous; and none of these are found except at Baume, where there is a Viperary, if we may be allowed that Word. We have no Scorpions, which are somewhat poisonous; our Toads are not in the least so: whence the only Stings we are exposed to, are those of Bees, Wasps, Hornets, Muskitos or Gnats, and Dragon [71] Flies: all of which are sometimes attended with severe Pain, a Swelling, and a very considerable erisipelatous Redness; which, if it happens in the Face, sometimes entirely closes the Eyes up; occasioning also a Fever, Pains of the Head, Restlessness, and Sickness at Heart; and, when the Pains are in a violent Degree, Faintings and Convulsions, though always without any mortal Consequence. These Symptoms go off naturally within a few Days, without any Assistance: Nevertheless they may either be prevented, diminished in Degree, or shortned in Duration.
1, By extracting the Sting of the Animal, if it is left behind.
2, By a continual Application of one of the Remedies directed [§ 281], Article 1 and 2, particularly the Infusion of Elder-flowers, to which a little Venice Treacle is added; or by covering the Part affected with a Pultice, made of Crum of Bread, Milk, Honey, and a little Venice Treacle. [72]
3, By bathing the Legs of the Person stung repeatedly in warm Water.