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
This Method, though it did not succeed with all, yet it answered
better than any other I tried;--and it ought to be remarked, that
although it had such a good Effect in Cases attended with the
malignant Fever, or where the Fever inclined to the intermittent Kind,
it did not answer so well in other recent Cases, but often made the
Patient sick.
In military Hospitals, Fluxes are liable to be complicated with other
Disorders, as well as with the malignant Fever; especially with
Coughs, and pleuritic and peripneumonic Symptoms, when the Weather
begins to be cold, in _October_ and _November_.--In such Cases, when
the Patients were strong, we were often obliged to bleed freely, to
apply Blisters, and in the Beginning treat the Disorder as
inflammatory; having at the same Time an Eye towards the Flux, in the
other Medicines we prescribed.
Patients, who have had the Flux long, are apt to have their Legs swell
at Nights; or to swell all over as soon as the Flux has stopped. Such
oedematous or anasarcous Swellings, we treated nearly in the same
Manner as those which followed the petechial Fever; only that we durst
not at first be so free with the Use of Purgatives; for as the Bowels
remained weak and easily irritated, such Medicines were apt to bring
back the Flux; and therefore, in the Beginning, we were for the most
part obliged to attempt the Cure by Diuretics and Diaphoretics; and to
be sparing of the Use of Purgatives, especially of those of the
hydragogue Kind; though if the Swellings continued for some Time after
the Flux was gone off, and the Patients were strong, we then ventured
to give Purges at proper Intervals:--And Blisters and Scarifications
removed them in several Instances both at _Paderborn_ and
_Osnabruck_.
In _December_, 1761, we had a Case of this Kind where the _oxymel
scilliticum_ was of remarkable Service. A Soldier, belonging to the
Guards, after a Flux, swelled all over, and made but a very small
Quantity of Water. He took Medicines of different Sorts for some
Weeks, but received no Benefit till we gave him the Oxymel Mixture;
after taking a few Doses he made Water very freely, and in large
Quantities, and the Swellings of his Body and Scrotum began
immediately to subside; and by continuing its Use for a Fortnight, the
Swellings entirely disappeared, and he recovered his Health and
Strength.--The Oxymel, at the same Time that it promoted a Flow of
Urine, kept his Body gently open, but did not occasion any Return of
the Flux.
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