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
[22] _Hippocrates_ takes Notice of Swellings of the Testicles
in Fevers. He tells us, that a Man from Alcibiades had his
left Testicle swell before the Crisis of a Fever. _See his
Second Book on Epidemics_, sect. ii. And he mentions this
Symptom as a Crisis in the ardent Fever. _See his Book on
Crises_, sect. xi.--And Dr. _Antonio Lizzari_, in a Treatise
which he published on the _Acute Diseases which were frequent
at Venice, and all over Italy, in the Years 1761, 62_, tells
us, that Abscesses of the Scrotum and Testicles frequently
followed the Measles.
Many, while recovering from this Fever, were seized with an
Ophthalmia, or Inflammation of the Eye; for the most part of one Eye
only, sometimes of both. When the Patients were strong, they were
blooded, and had Blisters applied behind the Ears; and sometimes,
where the Pain was great, had Poultices of Bread and Milk applied to
the inflamed Eye; which, with the Assistance of some cooling Physick,
commonly removed this Complaint; tho’ in some obstinate Cases we were
obliged to repeat the Evacuations, to apply Leeches to the Temples;
and after the acute State of the Disorder was passed, to order the Eye
to be washed frequently with the Collyrium vitriolicum, or Collyrium
Saturninum, before we got the better of this Complaint. However, it
ought to be observed, that if these astringent Collyria were used too
soon, they did hurt. When these Ophthalmias were neglected in the
Beginning, the Inflammation frequently rose to a great Height, and
left an Obscurity or Philm over the Cornea, which remained an
Impediment to the Sight not to be removed.
Towards the Decline of these Fevers, and very often during the Course
of them, many complained of Pains in their Feet and Toes, which
sometimes ended in Mortifications, especially where the Patients lay
in very cold Wards. For the most Part, the Mortification extended no
further than the Ends of the Toes, tho’ in some it spread over the
Feet, and in two or three advanced up the Leg. Several lost one or
more Toes; and in _February_ 1761, one Man lost Half of each Foot;
another lost both Feet, and Part of each Leg. Both got the better of
the Fever, tho’ the Man who lost both Feet languished a long time
afterwards. These Pains of the Feet and Toes, and the Mortifications
which followed, were for the most part owing to the Patients being
exposed to too much Cold while they were very weak, the Circulation
languid, and the Juices vitiated by a putrid Distemper; by which means
the Vessels were rendered incapable of carrying on the Circulation in
their extreme Branches[23].
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