110

INTERMITTENT FEVERS, «fee.

«i

part of cities, and fin* remote from marshes, are not unfrequentlyattacked by them.

Predisposing. — This disease may also be occasioned by debility,however induced, by a poor watery diet, damp houses, eveningdews, lying upon the damp ground, watching, fatigue, depressingpassions of the mind, &c.

When the inhabitants of a high country remove to a low one,they are generally seized with intermittent fevers, and to such thedisease is most apt to prove fatal. In a word, whatever relaxesthe solids, diminishes the perspiration, or obstructs the circula-tion in the capillary or small vessels, disposes the body to agues.

Symptoms op the cold stage. — An intermitting fever generallybegins with pain of the head and loins, weariness of the limbs,coldness of the extremities, stretching, yawning, with sometimesgreat sickness and vomiting ; to which succeed shivering and vio-lent shaking.

Of the hot stage. — After a longer or shorter continuance ofshivering, the heat of the body gradually returns ; irregularly &\first, and by transient flushes, soon, however, succeeded by a steady,dry, and burning heat, considerably augmenting above the naturalstandard. The skin which before was pale and constricted, be-comes now swollen, tense, and red ; and is remarkably sensibleto the touch. The sensibility, diminished in the cold stages, isnow preternaturally acute ; pains attack the head, and flying jiainsare felt over various parts of the body. The pulse is quick, strong,and hard ; the tongue white, the thirst is great, and the urine ishigh ooloured.

Of the sweating stage. — A moisture is at length observed tobreak out upon the face and neck, which soon becomes universaland uniform. The heat falls to its ordinary standard ; the pulsediminishes in frequency, and becomes full and free ; the urine de-posits a sediment ; the bowels are no longer confined ; respirationis free and full ; all the functions are restored to their natural or-der ; when, after a specific interval, the paroxysm returns, andperforms the same successional evolutions.

Between the paroxysms, the patient must be supported withfood that is nourishing, but light and easy of digestion, as veal orchicken broths, sago, gruel with a little wine, light puddings, andsuch like. His drink may be small negus, acidulated with thejuice of lemons or oranges, and sometimes a little weak punch.He may likewise drink infusions of bitter herbs, as camomile,wormwood, or water-trefoil, and may now and then take a glassof small wine, in which gentian root, centaury, or some other bit-ter, has been infused.

As the chief intentions of cure in an ague are to brace the sol-ids, and promote perspiration, the patient ought to take as muchexercise between the fits as he can bear. If he be able to go abaoad,riding on horseback, or in a carriage, will be of great service. Butif he cannot bear that kind of exercise,, he ought to take such ai