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
Patients, who were reduced very low by this Fever, or by repeated
Relapses, were subject to oedematous Swellings; especially of the
Feet, towards the Evening, after sitting up all the Day. These
Swellings generally went away as the Sick recovered their Strength;
but in some Cases they continued obstinate, and ascended towards the
Thighs; and in some spread all over the Body, and terminated in an
universal Anasarca.
When these Swellings were recent, and confined to the Feet and Legs,
commonly the Bark joined to the lixivial Salts, or the Oxymel of
Squills, or other Diuretics, and a Purgative once or twice a Week,
removed them. In some, an Infusion of Horse-radish had a good Effect;
in others, Sweats brought out by means of _Dover_’s Powder, or of the
_guttæ antimoniales anodynæ_.
Sometimes these Swellings were very obstinate, and resisted the Force
of all internal Remedies. In such Cases, Punctures made in the Feet,
or lower Part of the Legs, which furnished a Drain for the Water, had
a good Effect. Blisters applied to the Legs were of Service to some.
When the Punctures were made, or the Blisters applied, before the
Patient’s Strength was exhausted, provided that he laboured under no
other Disorder but these oedematous Swellings, which proceeded from
Weakness, I never observed any bad Effects from them; tho’ I used them
both repeatedly in a Variety of Cases. But if the Patient was very
weak; or had a Hectic Fever or Purging; or other Disorders, and the
oedematous Swellings large; then oftentimes the great Discharge
exhausted his Strength, and a Gangrene and Death were the Consequence.
One of the most remarkable Instances of the good Effects of Blisters,
was in the Case of a Soldier at _Paderborn_; _Thomas Hope_, of the
Second Regiment of Foot Guards, after a Fever of this Kind, was
swelled all over, especially about the Face and Neck, and had a
Difficulty of Breathing: after having tried Variety of Medicines for
this Complaint, without any Effect, he had a large Blister applied to
his Back, and took the Cortex in a Mixture, with the Oxymel of
Squills. As soon as the Blister began to discharge, the Swellings
decreased; and were afterwards entirely removed by the Help of one or
two Doses of Physic, and the continued Use of the Medicines before
prescribed. Three other Men in the Hospital at _Osnabruck_, in _May_
1761, having oedematous Swellings of the Feet and Legs, which yielded
to no internal Remedies, had Blisters applied to their Legs, used the
Cortex, with the lixivial Salts, two or three Times a Day, and a Purge
every fourth Day; which removed the Swellings in a short Time.
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