■B

OF THE MEASLES.

15]

tained, it is the duty of every member of society, and particularlyof every member of the medical profession, to discourage the ino-culation of the small-pox.

%* Communications of real importance, relating to the vaccinepractice, wili meet with ready attention by the Medical Council ofthe Royal Jenwrian Society.—It is requested that they be drawnup concisely, and well authenticated.

CHAP. XXIV.

Of THE MEASLES.

THE measles appeared ia Europe about the same time with th»small-pox, and have a great affinity to that disease. They bothcame from the same quarter of the world, are both infectious, andseldom attack the same person more than once. The measles aremost common in spring season, and generally disappear in summer.The disease itself, when propeily managed, seldom proves fatal;but its consequences are often very troublesome.

CAUSE.—This disease, like the small-pox, proceeds from infec-tion, and is more or less dangerous according to the constitution ofthe patient, the season of the year, the climate, &c.

S YMPTOMS.—The measles, like other fevers, are preceded byalternate fits of heat and cold, with sickness, and loss of appetite.The tongue is white, but generally moist. There is a short cough,a heaviness of the head and eyes, drowsiness, and a running at thenose. Sometimes indeed the cough does not come before the erup-tion has appeared. There is an inflammation and heat in the eyes,accompanied with a defluxion of sharp rheum and great acute-ness of sensation, so that they cannot bear the light without pain.The eyelids frequently swell so as to occasion blindness. The pa-tient generally complains of his throat; and a vomiting or loosenessoften precedes the eruption. The stools in children are commonlygreenish; they complain of an itching of the skin, and are re-markably peevish. Bleeding at the nose it common, both beforeand in the progress of the disease.

About the fourth day, small spots, resembling flea-bites, appeal-first upon the face, then upon the breast, and afterwards on theextremities: these may be distinguished from the small-pox bytheir scarcely rising above the skin. The fever, cough, and diffi-culty of breathing, instead of being removed by the eruption, as inthe smali-pox, are rather increased: but the vomiting generallyceases.

About the sixth or seventh day from the time ot sickness, themeasles begin to turn pale on the face, and afterwards upon thebody; so that by the ninth day they entirely disappear. Thefever however, and difficulty of breathing, often continue, espe-

H 'J

<