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NERVOUS FEVER.

much to preserve the body in a sound state as a regular diet ; norcan any thing contribute more to occasion fevers of the worst kindthan its opposite.

The most general cause of this fever is contagion,* communi-cated through the medium of an impure or heated atmosphere, byconcentrated effluvia arising from the body of a person labouringunder this specific disease ; but whatever debilitates the system oroppresses the mind may induce a state of pre-disposition morereadily to be influenced by its operations ; and although in theorigin and progress of typhus and such like fevers, it is undenia-ble that contagion is the most powerful agent in propagating thedisease, still many of these fevers, though not contagious at theirorigin, become so in their progress and decline, and, in some in-stances, generate others of a much worse description than the ori-ginal one ; and this, in all probability, is the way in which epidem-ics appear and spread.

In warm climates typhus sometimes occurs, and continued fe-vers of most kinds are apt to degenerate into fever of a typhustype. It is, however, most prevalent in temperate and cold cli-mates. In Great Britain typhus is favoured by a low temperature,being most prevalent in the cold months of winter, generally abat-ing or disappearing as the summer-heat advances, and often pre*vailing, in a considerable degree, in cool wet autumns.

Symptoms. — Typhus Mitior generally sets in with remarkablemildness in- its symptoms ; and although the patient experiencessome trifling indisposition for several days, still he has no reasonto suspect the approach of any severe disease. There is dejectionof spirits; want of appetite, weakness, weariness after motion,watchfulness, deep sighing, and dejection of mind, are generallythe forerunners of this disease. These are succeeded by a quicklow pulse, a dry tongue without any considerable thirst, chillinessand flushings in turns, &c.

After some time the patient complains of a giddiness and painof the head, has a nausea, with retchings and vomiting ; the pulseis quick, and sometimes intermitting; the urine pale, resemblingdead small-beer, and the breathing is difficult, with oppression ofthe breast, and slight alienation of the mind.

If, towards the ninth, tenth, or twelfth day, the tongue becomesmore moist, with a plentiful spitting, a gentle purging, or a moist-ure upon the skin ; or if a suppuration happen in one or both ears,or large pustules break out about the lips and nose, there is reasonto hope for a favourable crisis.

But if there be an excessive looseness or wasting sweats, withfrequent fainting fits ; if the tongue when put out trembles ex-

* Dr. Haygarth, who devoted considerable attention to the consideration of the con-tagious nature of typhus fever, and the manner in which it is propagated, has deducedtherefrom a variety of important facts, of very great importance for the prevention ofmisery, and the preservation of human life ; whence he concludes, that typhus mayoe easily and certainly prevented by ventilation; (in large, airy, and clean rooms,) orby separation (into air hospitals, or into an adjoining room of the same house, wherepracticable) ; or especially by cleanliness, which entirely destroys the poison, where-ever it can be completely accomplished. (See Dr. Haygarth's letter to Dr. Percivat,pp. 72. 89.)