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OF THE VIRULENT GONORRHOEA
caught the venew?al infection, he ought most strictly to obseive a coolingregimen, to avoid every thing of a heating nature, as wines, spirifousliquors, rich sauces, spicies, salted, high-sessoned and smoke-dried pro-visions, &c. as also all aromatic and stimulating vegetables, as onions,garlic, shallot, nutmeg, mustard, cinnamon, mace, ginger, and such like.His food ought chiefly to consist of mild vegetables, milk, broths, lightpuddings, panado, gruels, <tec. His drink may be barley-water, milk andwater, decoctions of marsh mallows and liquorice, linseed-tea, or clearwhey. Of these he ought to drink plentifully. Violent exercise of allkinds, especially riding on horseback, and venereal pleasures, are to beavoided. The patient must beware of cold, and when the inflammationis violent, he ought to keep his bed.
MEDICINE.---------4 virulent gonorrhoea cannot always be cured
speedily and effectually at the same time. It will often continue for twoor three weeks, and sometimes for five or six, even where the treatmenthas been very proper.
Sometimes a slight infection may be carried off in a few days by bath-ing the parts in warm milk and water, and injecting frequently up theurethra a little sweet oil or linseed-tea about the warmth of new milk.Should these not succeed in carrying off the infection, they will at leasthave a tendency to lessen its virulence.
To effect a cure, however, astringent injections will generally be foundaccessary. These may be various ways prepared, but I think thosemade with the white vitriol are both most safe and efficacious. Theycan be made stronger or weaker as circumstances may require; but it isbest to begin with the more gentle, and increase their power if necessary.1 generally order a drachm of white vitriol to be dissolved in eight ornine ounces of common or rose water, and an ordinary syringe full ofit to be thrown up three or four times a day. If this quantity does notperform a cure, it may be repeated, and the dose increased.
A gonorrhoea has actually been cured by an injection of green-tea.
Whether injections be used or not, cooling purges are always properin the gonorrhoea. They ought not however to be of the strong or drastickind. Whatever raises a violent commotion in the body increases thedanger, and tends to drive the disease deeper into the habit. Procuringtwo or three stools every second or third day for the first fortnight, andthe same number every fourth or fifth day for the second, will generallybe sufficient to remove the inflammatory symptoms, to diminish therunning, and to change its colour and consistence. It gradually becomesmore white and ropy as the virulence abates.
If the patient can swallow a solution of vitriolated magnesia andmanna, lie may take six drachms, or, if his constitution requires it, anounce of the former, with half an ounce of the latter. These may bedissolved in an English pint of boiling water, whey or thin water-gruel,and taken early in the morning.
If an infusion of senna and tamarinds be more agreeable, twodrachms of the former, and an ounce of the latter, may be infused;:!1 night in an English pint of boiling water. The infusion may bestrained next morning, and half an ounce of Glauber's salts dissolvedj) it. A tea-cupful of this infusion may be taken every half hour till