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
The Remedies for Convulsions, from this Cause, consist, 1, In letting
the Child abstain from this corrupted Milk, until the Nurse shall have
recovered her State of Health and Tranquillity, the speedy Attainment of
which may be forwarded by a few Glysters; by gentle pacific Medicines;
by an entire Absence of whatever caused or conduced to her bad Health;
and by drawing off all the Milk that had been so vitiated.
2, In giving the Child itself some Glysters: in making it drink
plentifully of a light Infusion of the Lime-tree Flowers, in giving it
no other Nourishment for a Day or two, except Panada and other light
Spoon-meat, without Milk.
3, In purging the Child (supposing what has been just directed to have
been unavailable) with an Ounce, or an Ounce and a Half, of compound
Syrup of Succory, or as much Manna. These lenient gentle Purges carry
off the Remainder of the corrupted Milk, and remove the Disorders
occasioned by it.
Sec. 393. A third Cause which also produces Convulsions, is the feverish
Distempers which attack Children, especially the Small-pocks and the
Measles; but in general such Convulsions require no other Treatment, but
that proper for the Disease, which has introduced them.
Sec. 394. It is evident from what has been said in the Course of this
Chapter, and it deserves to be attended to, that Convulsions are
commonly a Symptom attending some other Disease, rather than an original
Disease themselves: that they depend on many different Causes; that from
this Consideration there can be no general Remedy for removing or
checking them; and that the only Means and Medicines which are suitable
in each Case, are those, which are proper to oppose the particular Cause
producing them, and which I have already pointed out in treating of each
Cause.
The greater Part of the pretended Specifics, which are indiscriminately
and ignorantly employed in all Sorts of Convulsions, are often useless,
and still oftner prejudicial. Of this last Sort and Character are,
1, All sharp and hot Medicines, spirituous Liquors, Oil of Amber,--other
hot Oils and Essences, volatile Salts, and such other Medicines, as, by
the Violence of their Action on the irritable Organs of Children, are
likelier to produce Convulsions, than to allay them.
2, Astringent Medicines, which are highly pernicious, whenever the
Convulsions are caused by any sharp Humour, that ought to be discharged
from the Body by Stool; or when such Convulsions are the Consequences of
an [92] Effort of Nature, in Order to effect a _Crisis_: And as they
almost ever depend on one or the other of these Causes, it follows that
Astringents can very rarely, if ever, be beneficial. Besides that there
is always some Danger in giving them to Children without a mature, a
thorough Consideration of their particular Case and Situation, as they
often dispose them to Obstructions.
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