CONFIRMED LUES OR POX.

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been found to possess virtues superior to those already men-tioned, we shall, for the sake of brevity, pass them over, andshall conclude our observations on the disease with a fewgeneral remarks concerning the proper management of thepatient and the nature of the infection.

The condition of the patient ought always to be consideredprevious to his entering upon a course of mercury in any form.It would be equally rash and dangerous to administer mer-cury to a person laboring under any violent acute disease, asa putrid fever, pleurisy, peripneumony, or the like. It wouldlikewise be dangerous in some chronic, diseases, as a dropsy,a scirrhus, a slow hectic fever, or the last stage of a consump-tion. Sometimes, however, the two last-named diseases pro-ceed from a confirmed lues, in which case it will be necessaryto give mercury. In chronic diseases of a less dangerousnature, as the asthma, gravel, nervous complaints, and suchlike, mercury, if necessary, may be safely administered. Ifthe patient's strength has been greatly exhausted by sickness,labor, abstinence, or any other cause, the use of mercury mustbe postponed, till, by time, rest, and a proper nourishing diet,it can be sufficiently restored.

Mercury ought not to be administered to women duringthe menstrual flux, or when the period is near at hand. Nei-ther should it be given in the last stage of pregnancy. If,however, the woman be not near the time of her delivery, andcircumstances render it necessary, mercury may be given, butin smaller doses and at greater intervals than usual. Withthese precautions, both the mother and child may be cured atthe same time ; if not, the disorder will at least be kept fromgrowing worse, till the woman be brought to bed and suffi-ciently recovered, when a more effectual method may be pur-sued, which, if she suckles her child, will in all probability besufficient for the cure of both.

Mercury ought always to be administered to infants withthe greatest caution. Their tender condition unfits them forsupporting a salivation, and makes it necessary to administereven the mildest preparations of mercury to them with a spar-ing hand. A similar conduct is recommended in the treat-ment of old persons, who have the misfortune to labor undera confirmed lues. No doubt the infirmities of age must ren-der people less able to undergo the fatigues of a salivation ;but this, as was formerly observed, is seldom necessary ; be-sides, we have generally found that mercury had much