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
Some were attended with the Dysentery; and the Purging and Gripes were
most severe on the Days of the aguish Paroxysms. In such Cases, we
were frequently obliged at first to neglect the Ague, and to treat the
Disorder entirely as a Flux. Where there was much Fever, the Patient
strong, and the Pains in the Bowels acute, we ordered Bleeding; and
after it a gentle Emetic, and some Doses of the saline oily Purge, or
of Rhubarb; and gentle Opiates in the Evening, and other Medicines
proper in the Dysentery, till its Violence was abated, before we gave
the Bark: though in some Cases, where the aguish Paroxysms were very
severe, and helped to increase the Purging, and the Patient was in
Danger of sinking, we gave the Bark, notwithstanding the Flux still
continued; and the Method we followed was the same as that I formerly
mentioned, where it was complicated with the Malignant Fever; which
was to give the Bark, mixed with Diascord, and Opiates, or other
Medicines proper for the Dysentery, in the Intervals between the
Purges.
By this Treatment, very often both the Flux and Ague went off.
However, it ought to be observed, that unless the aguish Paroxysms
were severe, and in Danger of sinking the Patient, or that the
Disorder had continued for some Time, and the Paroxysms were distinct,
we seldom gave the Bark till the Violence of the Flux was abated: And
where-ever much Griping and Pain in the Bowels attended the Flux and
Ague, there Bleeding as well as Purgatives were necessary, before
exhibiting the Bark; which seldom or ever agreed with them, till there
was an evident _Apurexia_, or Absence of Fever in the Intervals
between the Fits. Where these Cautions were neglected, the Bark
generally made the Patients worse; and we were obliged to omit it,
till the Violence of the Purging was over.
Some Agues were accompanied with the Jaundice, though not in such a
high Degree as in the confirmed State of that Disorder; and commonly
in the Beginning the Pulse continued rather quick, in the Intervals
between the Paroxysms; and the Patients complained of some Degree of
Sickness for the first two or three Days. With those the Bark always
disagreed, till the Feverishness between the aguish Paroxysms was
gone; and we found, that the best Method of treating them, was to
bleed in the Beginning, if there was much Fever; and then to give a
Vomit and Purge, and to repeat them, if necessary; and where there was
no Purging, to give the saline Draughts, and other cooling Medicines;
and to add a few Grains of Rhubarb, or to give so much of the _pilulæ
saponacæ cum rheo_, daily, as procured one or two loose Stools.
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