A Succinct Account of the Plague at Marseilles: Its Symptoms and the Methods and Medicines Used for Curing ItChicoyneau, François
History
A Succinct Account of the Plague at Marseilles: Its Symptoms and the Methods and Medicines Used for Curing It
Chicoyneau, François
Plague -- France -- Marseille -- Early works to 1800
We have observed these sort of Tumours during the whole Course of the
Sickness, in a very great number of diseased Persons in all the Classes,
though less frequent than the Buboes; remarking also very often in the
same Subjects, these two sorts of Emptions.
The Carbuncles present themselves in different Places on the Surface of
the Body, especially in the Thighs, Legs, Arms, Breast, Back, but very
rarely in the Face, Neck, or Belly.
They appear at first under the Form of a Pustle or Tumour, which is
whitish, yellowish, or reddish, Pale in its middle, or inclining to an
obscure Red, which becomes insensibly blackish, crustaceous, especially
about the Edges; as also variegated with divers Colours; so that,
according to that which is predominant, and the Excess or Defect of
Sensibility and Elevation, we may give it the Name of a Phlegmonick,
Erysipelatous, or gangrened Carbuncle.
We immediately attack all these sorts of Carbuncles by Scarification,
making the Incision to the Right and to the Left, in the Middle, and on
the Edges, to the Quick; and if the Escarr is Thick and Callous, we take
away all the Thickness, and what is Callous, as much as the Situation of
the Parts will permit.
We have not thought proper to use here the actual or potential Cauteries
which are employed in our Province, in the case of common Carbuncles,
because, having made Trial of them at the Beginning, we observed that they
caused Inflammations so considerable, that a Gangrene presently ensued,
and its Edges became Callous again: The Caustick Stone succeeded not but
in small Carbuncles, which heal of themselves, almost without any Help.
After having scarified these Tumours, we applied Pledgets with good
Digestives, as in the Case of Buboes, only with this Difference, that we
have left out the suppurating Ingredients, using only the Treacle, Balsam
of _Arcæus_, and Oil of Turpentine; and if there is much Corruption, we
add the Tinctures of Aloes, of Myrrh and Camphire, _&c._
We put over the Pledgets, emollient and anodine, or spirituous and
dissolving Cataplasms, as over the Buboes, according to the diversity of
Indications. In the Course of the Dressings, the Lotions and Injections
are also employed the same as for the Buboes, according to the Exigence of
the Case. And, if in the Process of Suppuration, the new Flesh be so
sensible, that the Digestives applied cause a very great Pain, as we have
seen it often happen, then we substitute in their room Pledgets with
Unguentum Nutritum, with very good Success.
_The Method relating to the Sick of the_ FIFTH CLASS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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