An Account of the Diseases which were most frequent in the British military hospitals in GermanyMonro, Donald
History
An Account of the Diseases which were most frequent in the British military hospitals in Germany
Monro, Donald
Medicine, Military; Military hospitals; Military hygiene; Seven Years' War, 1756-1763 -- Medical care
When Men were suddenly taken with Pain and Numbness all over, we found
that the best Method of treating them was to put them to Bed, and give
them Plenty of mild warm diluting Liquors for Drink; and if there was
much of a Fever, to open a Vein, to give the cooling antiphlogistic
Medicines, and apply Blisters; and if these Complaints still remained,
to endeavour to promote a breathing Sweat, by means of Diaphoretics
and warm Drinks. Several who were brought to the Hospital, soon after
being seized in this Manner, got well; but in some few, one or other
of the Limbs would begin to waste, and remain paralytic afterwards.
Those who had the true confirmed Palsy seldom remained long enough
with us to be cured. Two or three received Benefit from Blisters
applied to the Parts, and from Issues; drinking at the same time the
Decoction of the Woods, or of Sarsaparilla, and taking the volatile
Tincture of Guaiac or Valerian[95], and being sweated by the Use of
_Dover_’s Powder, or other Diaphoretics.
[95] On _Wednesday_ the 1st of _February_ 1764, _Margaret
Julion_, a Woman between fifty and sixty Years of Age, was
admitted into _St. George_’s Hospital for an entire Loss of
Speech, which seemed to depend on a paralytic Disorder of the
Parts about the Larynx. The Account her Friends who came with
her to the Hospital gave of her Case was, that she had been
for five Months troubled at Times with Pains of her Bowels,
and a Purging; that on _Sunday_ se’night before coming to the
Hospital, she had suddenly lost the Use of her Speech, and
had not spoke since that Time, though she seemed to hear and
understand whatever was said to her. I asked her some
Questions, which she answered distinctly by Signs. She had no
paralytic Complaint of her Face, Arms, Legs, or any other
Part of her Body, and swallowed both Fluids and Solids with
Ease. She had no Fever, and seemed to complain of nothing but
the Loss of Speech.--A Blister was applied to her Neck, and
she was ordered the saline Draughts, with a Scruple of Powder
of Valerian in each, to be taken three Times a-day, and a
Dose of sacred Tincture, to be taken twice a-Week. She
followed this Course for a Fortnight, when another Blister
was applied to the Fore-part of the Neck, and the Powder of
Valerian in the Draughts was changed for two Drachms of the
_tinctura valeriana volatilis_. At the End of three Weeks she
could pronounce the two Words _Why_, _What_. She continued
the same Course till this Day, the 16th of _March_, and can
now pronounce many Words and short Sentences.
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