SMALL-POX.
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with an equal quantity of water, and sharpened with the juice ofan orange, the jelly of currants, or the like. Wine-whey, sharp-ened as above, is likewise a proper drink in this case ; great care,however, must be taken not to overheat the patient by any of thesethings. This, instead of promoting, would retard the eruption.
The rising of the small-pox is often prevented by the violenceof the fever ; in this case the cool regimen is strictly to be observed.The patient's chamber must not only be kept cool, but he oughtlikewise frequently to be taken cut of bed, and to be lightly cover-ed with clothes while in it.
Excessive restlessness often prevents the rising and filling of the^mall-pox. When this happens, gentle opiates are necessary. These,however, ought always to be administered with a sparing hand.To an infant, a tea-spoonful of the syrup of poppies may be givenevery five or six hours till it has the desired effect. An adult willrequire a table-spoonful in order to answer the same purpose.
If the patient be troubled with a strangury, or suppression ofurine, which often happens in the small-pox, he should be frequeut- 'ly taken out of bed, and, if he be able, should walk across the roomwith his feet bare. When he cannot do this, he may be frequentlyset on his knees in bed, and should endeavour to pass his urine asi.ften as he can. When these do not succeed, a teaspoonful of thesweet spirits of nitre may be occasionally mixed with his drink.Nothing more certainly relieves the patient, or is more beneficialin the small-pox, than a plentiful discharge of urine.
If the mouth be foul, and the tongue dry and chapped, it oughtfrequently to be washed, and the throat gargled with water andhoney, sharpened with a little vinegar or currant-jelly.
During the rising of the small-pox, it frequently happens thatthe patient is eight or ten days without a stool. This not only tendsto heat and inflame the blood, but the faeces, by lodging so long inthe body, become acrid, and even putrid, from whence bad conse-quences must ensue. It will, therefore, be proper, when the bodyis bound, to throw in an emollient clyster every second or thirdday, through the whole course of the disease. This will greatlycool and relieve the patient.
When petechias, purple, black, or livid spots appear among thesmall-pox, the Peruvian bark must immediately be administered,in as large doses as the patient's stomach can bear. For a child,two drachms of bark in powder may be mixed in three ounces ofcommon water, one ounce of simple cinnamon water, and twoounces of the syrup of orange or lemon. This may be sharpenedwith the spirit of vitriol, and a table-spoonful of it given everyhour. If it be given to an adult in the same form, he may tak«, atleast, three or four spoonsful every hour. This medicine ought no*to be trifled with, but must be administered as frequently as thstomach can bear it ; in which case it will often produce very hap-py effects. 1 have frequently seen the petechias disappear, and thesmall-pox, which had a very threatening aspect, rise and fill withlaudable matter, by the use of the bark and acids.
The yatient's drink ought likewise, in this case, to be generous,as wine o»; strong negus, acidulated with spirits of vitriol, vinegar,the jiiio«.of lemon, jelly of currants, or such like. His food must
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