OF AN ACUTE CONTINUAL FEVER. 147

The patient should be kept as quiet and easy as pos-sible. Company, noise, and every thing that disturbsthe mind, is hurtful. Even too much light, or anything that affects the senses, ought to be avoided. Hisattendants should be as few as possible, and they oughtnot to be too often changed. His inclinations oughtrather to be soothed than contradicted; even the pro-mise of what lie craves will often satisfy him as muchas its reality.

MEDICINE.—In this and all other fevers, attend-ed with a hard, full, quick pulse, bleeding is of thegreatest importance. This operation ought always tobe performed as soon as the symptoms of an inflam-matory fever appear. The quantity of blood to be takenaway, however, must be in proportion to the strengthof the patient and the violence of the disease. If, afterthe first bleeding, the fever should rise, and the pulsebecome more frequent and hard, there will be a neces-sity for repeating it a second, and perhaps a third, oreven a fourth, time, which may be done at the distanceof twelve, eighteen, or twenty-four hours from eachother, as the symptoms require. If the pulse continuesoft, and the patient is tolerably easy after the firstbleeding, it ought not to be repeated.

If the heat and fever be very great, forty or fiftydrops of the dulcified or sweet spirit of nitre may bemade into a draught, with an ounce ot rose-water, twoounces of common water, and half an ounce of simple,syrup, or a bit of loaf-sugar. This draught may begiven to the patient every three or four hours, whilethe fever is violent; afterwards once in five or sixhours will be sufficient.

If the patient be afflicted with reaching, or an incli-nation to vomit, it will be right to assist nature's at-tempts, by giving him weak camomile-tea or luke-warm water to drink.

If the body is bound, a clyster of milk and water,with a little salt, and a spoonful of sweet oil or freshbutter in it, ought daily to be administered. Should thisnpt have the desired effect, a tea-spoonful of magnesia