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
There is one Thing to be observed with regard to sulphureous Unctions,
which is, that we ought not to use them too soon with People
recovering out of Fevers, or other Disorders which bring them low;
otherwise there will be Danger of bringing on a Relapse, which I have
often observed to happen in military Hospitals, where the Itch has
appeared as the Patients were recovering from Fevers and other
Disorders, and the Unctions were used too soon: But whether these
Relapses were owing to the sulphureous Unction’s stopping up the Pores
of the Skin, and obstructing a free Perspiration, or to the Patient’s
being more apt to take Cold while they used the Sulphur Ointment, than
at any other Time, is what I cannot determine; but to me it seems most
probable, that these Unctions rather obstruct the Perspiration; and
that when they are used too soon with People recovering from Fevers,
especially those of the putrid Kind, they prevent those Particles
from passing off by the Skin, which it was necessary should be
evacuated, in order to free the Body from the Seeds of the Fever, or
other Disorders the Patients laboured under. But however this be,
Experience has shewn, that we ought not to attempt the Cure of the
Itch, in Patients so circumstanced, till their Strength be in a great
Measure re-established, otherwise there will be Danger of a Relapse;
and likewise, that Patients using Sulphur externally, ought to be
particularly on their Guard against Cold.
This Observation of Peoples being so apt to relapse after Fevers by
the too early Use of sulphureous Unction, is a strong Proof of the
Usefulness of keeping the Body open during the Time of Rubbing and of
Purging the Patient afterwards; as by these Means we may carry off by
the Bowels those Particles which could not pass by the Skin; and I
think, so far as I have been able to observe, those People have been
less subject to relapse into Fevers where this Caution has been used,
than where it has been neglected.
That Species of the Itch where it forms small Ulcers or Pustules in
the Skin, is the worst Kind, and most contagious, and seems to take
its Rise from the common Itch continuing long, and making its Way
deeper into the Skin. The Cure is the same, only this requires more
frequent Unctions, and those to be continued longer, than before the
Disorder has taken such deep Root.
It is no uncommon Thing to see the Itch appear again, some Weeks after
it has seemingly been cured by the Use of sulphureous Unctions; which
most commonly happened to those who were in too great a Hurry to get
well, and left off the Use of the Unctions too soon. Such Returns of
the Itch were generally cured by the Repetition of the same Treatment
as before.
TABLE of DIET.
The following is a Copy of the Table of Diet which was used in the
Hospital all the Time I was with the Troops in _Germany_:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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