Advice to the people in general, with regard to their healthTissot, S. A. D. (Samuel Auguste David)
Science
Advice to the people in general, with regard to their health
Tissot, S. A. D. (Samuel Auguste David)
Hygiene -- Handbooks, manuals, etc. -- Early works to 1800; Medicine, Popular -- Early works to 1800
This Disease sometimes begins after a Constipation, or Costiveness, of
some Days; at other Times without that Costiveness having been preceded
by Pains in any Part of the Belly, especially around the Navel; but
which Pains, gradually increasing after their Commencement, at length
become extremely violent, and throw the Patient into excessive Anguish.
In some of these Cases a hard Tumour may be felt, which surrounds the
Belly like a Cord. The Flatulences within become very audible, some of
them are discharged upwards; in a little Time after, Vomitings come on,
which increase till the Patient has thrown up all he had taken in, with
a still further Augmentation of the excessive Pain. With the first of
his Vomitings he only brings up the last Food he had taken, with his
Drink and some yellowish Humour: but what comes up afterwards proves
stinking; and when the Disease is greatly heightened, they have what is
called the Smell of Excrement or Dung; but which rather resembles that
of a putrid dead Body. It happens too sometimes, that if the Sick have
taken Glysters composed of Materials of a strong Smell, the same Smell
is discernible in the Matter they vomit up. I confess however I never
saw either real Excrements, or the Substance of their Glysters, brought
up, much less the Suppositories that were introduced into the Fundament:
and were it credible that Instances of this Kind had occurred, they must
be allowed very difficult to account for. Throughout this whole Term of
the Disease, the Patient has not a single Discharge by Stool; the Belly
is greatly distended; the Urine not seldom suppressed, and at other
Times thick and foetid. The Pulse, which at first was pretty hard,
becomes quick and small; the Strength entirely vanishes; a Raving comes
on; a Hiccup almost constantly supervenes, and sometimes general
Convulsions; the Extremities grow cold, the Pulse scarcely perceivable;
the Pain and the Vomiting cease, and the Patient dies very quickly
after.
Sec. 318. As this Disease is highly dangerous, the Moment it is strongly
apprehended, it is necessary to oppose it by proper Means and Remedies:
the smallest Error may be of fatal Consequence, and hot inflaming
Liquids have been known to kill the Patient in a few Hours. I was called
in the second Day of the Disease to a young Person, who had taken a good
deal of Venice Treacle: Nothing could afford her any Relief, and she
died early on the third Day.
This Disease should be treated precisely in the same Manner as an
inflammatory Cholic; the principal Difference being, that in the former
there are no Stools, but continual Vomitings.
1, First of all then the Patient should be plentifully bled, if the
Physician has been called in early enough, and before the Sick has lost
his Strength.
2, He should receive opening Glysters made of a Decoction of Barley
Water, with five or six Ounces of Oil in each.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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