INTERMITTENT FEVERS, &c.

113

it off, and begin again at some distance of time : by which mean«the disease gathers strength, and often returns with as much violenceas before. A relapse may always be prevented by the patient'scontinuing to take doses of the medicine for some time after thesymptoms disappear. This is both the most safe and effectualmethod of cure.

An ounce of gentian root, calamus aromaticus, and orange-peel,of each half an ounce, with three or four handfuls of camomileflowers, and an handful of coriander-seed, all bruised together ina mortar, may be used in form of infusion or tea. About half anhandful of these ingredients may be put into a tea-pot, and anEnglish pint of boiling water poured on them. A cup of this in-fusion drank three or four times a-day will greatly promote thecure. Such patients as cannot drink the watery infusion, mayput two handfuls of the same ingredients into a bottle of whitewine, and take a glass of it twice or thrice a-day. If patientsdrink freely of the above, or any other proper infusion of bitters,a smaller quantity of bark than is generally used will be sufficientto cure an intermittent.

Those who cannot swallow the bark in substance may take itin decoction or infusion. An ounce of bark in powder may beinfused in a bottle of white wine for four or five days, frequentlyshaking the bottle, afterwards let the powder subside, and pouroff the clear liquor. A wine-glass may be drank three or fourtimes a-day, or oftener, as there is occasion. If a decoction bemore agreeabJe, an ounce of the bark, and two drachms of snake-root bruised, with an equal quantity of salt of wormwood, may beboiled in a quart of water, to an English pint. To the strained liquor may be added an equal quantity of red wine, and a glass ofit taken frequently.

In obstinate agues, the bark will be found much more efficaciouswhen assisted by brandy, or other warm cordials, than if takenalone. This I have had frequently occasion to observe in a coun-try where intermitting fevers were endemical. The bark seldomsucceeded unless assisted by snake-root, ginger, canella alba, orsome other warm aromatic. When the fits are very frequent andviolent, in which case the fever often approaches towards an in-flammatory nature, it will be safer to keep out the aromatics, andto add salt of tartar in their stead. But in an obstinate tertian orquartan, in the end of autumn or beginning of winter, warm andcordial medicines are absolutely necessary.*

The sulphate and oxide of zinc have been successfully prescrib-ed : the former, in doses of a quarter or half a grain every four orsix hours, is said to have proved very efficacious in cases of obstin-ate intermittents. As a tonic, the ammoniated copper has beengiven with considerable advantage. All these may be employedalong with a decoction of cinchona, or any of the tonic bitters hererecommended.

* In obstinate agues, when the patient is old, the habit phlegmatic, the season rainy,the situation damp, or the like, it will be necessary to mix with two ounces of thebark, half an ounce of Virginian snake-root, and a quarter of an ounce of ginger, 01some other warm aromatic ; but when the symptoms are of an inflammatory nature,half an ounce of salt of wormwood (subcarbonate of potash,) or salt of tartar, may beadded to the above quantity of bark.