§ 288. The false Inflammation of the Breast is an Overfulness or Obstruction in the Lungs, accompanied with a Fever; and it is caused by extremely thick and tenacious Humours; and not by a really inflammatory Blood, or by any putrid or bilious Humour.
§ 289. This Distemper happens more frequently in the Spring, than in any other Season. Old Men, puny, ill-constitutioned Children, languid Women, feeble young Men, and particularly such as have worn their Constitutions out by drinking, are the Subjects most frequently attacked by it; especially if they have used but little Exercise throughout the Winter: if they have fed on viscid, mealy and fat Aliments, as Pastry, Chesnuts, thick Milk or Pap, and Cheese. All their Humours have contracted a thick glutinous Quality; they are circulated with Difficulty, and when Heat or Exercise in the Spring increases their Motion at once, the Humours, already stuffing up the Lungs, still more augment that Plenitude, whence these vital Organs are fatally extended, and the Patient dies.
§ 290. This Distemper is known to exist,
1, By the previous Existence of the Causes already mentioned.
2, By the Symptoms which precede and usher it in. For Example, the Patient many Days before-hand has a slight Cough; a small Oppression when he moves about; a little Restlessness, and is sometimes a little choleric or fretful. His Countenance is higher coloured than in Health; he has a Propensity to sleep, but attended with Confusion and without Refreshment, and has sometimes an extraordinary Appetite.
3, When this State has continued for some Days, there comes on a cold Shivering, though more considerable for its Duration than its Violence; it is succeeded by a moderate Degree of Heat, but that attended with much Inquietude and Oppression. The sick Person cannot confine himself to the Bed; but walks to and fro in his Chamber, and is greatly dejected. The Pulse is weak and pretty quick; the Urine is sometimes but little changed from that in Health; at other Times it is discharged but in a small Quantity, and is higher coloured: he coughs but moderately, and does not expectorate, or cough up, but with Difficulty. The Visage becomes very red, and even almost livid; he can neither keep awake, nor sleep well; he raves for some Moments, and then his Head grows clear again. Sometimes it happens, especially to Persons of advanced Age, that this State suddenly terminates in a mortal Swoon or Fainting: at other Times and in other Cases, the Oppression and Anguish increase; the Patient cannot breathe but when sitting up, and that with great Difficulty and Agony: the Brain is utterly disturbed and embarrassed; this State lasts for some Hours, and then terminates of a sudden.
§ 291. This is a very dangerous Distemper; because, in the first Place, it chiefly attacks those Persons whose Temperament and Constitution are deprived of the ordinary Resources for Health and Recovery: in the second Place, because it is of a precipitate Nature, the Patient sometimes dying on the third Day, and but seldom surviving the seventh; while the Cause of it requires a more considerable Term for its Removal or Mitigation. Besides which, if some Indications present for the Employment of a Remedy, there are frequently others which forbid it; and all that seems to be done is, as follows;
1, If the Patient has still a pretty good Share of Health; if he is not of too advanced an Age; if the Pulse has a perceivable Hardness, and yet at the same Time some Strength; if the Weather is dry, and the Wind blows from the North, he should be bled once, to a moderate Quantity. But if the greater Part of these Circumstances are wanting, Bleeding would be very prejudicial. Were we obliged to establish some general and positive Rule in this Case, it were better to exclude Bleeding, than to admit it.
2, The Stomach and the Bowels should be unloaded from their viscid glutinous Contents; and the Medicines which succeed the best in this Respect are [Nº. 35], when the Symptoms shew there is a great Necessity for vomiting, and there is no Inflammation; or the Prescription [Nº. 25], which after vomiting, purges by Stool, promotes Urine, breaks down and divides the viscid Humours that occasion the Disease, and increase Perspiration. When we are afraid of hazarding the Agitation of a Vomit and its Consequences, the Potion, [Nº. 11] may be given; but we must be very cautious, in Regard to old Men, even with this; as such may expire during the Operation of it.
3, They should, from the Beginning of the Disease, drink plentifully of the Ptisan [Nº. 26], which is the best Drink in this Disease; or that of [Nº. 12], adding half a Dram of Nitre to every Pint of it.