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
Many had no Petechiæ through the whole Course of the Disorder; but in
all who were very bad, the Countenance looked bloated, and the Eyes
reddish and somewhat inflamed; and though the Skin was commonly dry,
yet the _Perspiration from the Lungs_ was strong. By these
Circumstances one might frequently discover that the Patient laboured
under the malignant Fever, without asking any Questions.
* * * * *
When Men were taken ill of a Fever, which we suspected to be of the
malignant kind, our first Care was to lay them in airy Places,
separate as much as possible from the other Men, and to keep them
extremely clean; and they were put on low Diet, and allowed as much
Barley or Rice-water as they chose to drink, which was commonly
ordered to be acidulated with the _Spiritus Vitrioli_.
For the first two or three Days we could seldom distinguish, with
Certainty, that the Fever was of the malignant kind, though we had
often Reason to suspect it. The Pain of the Head, the Fulness and
Quickness of the Pulse, and other Symptoms, led us commonly to take
away more or less Blood, which the Patient bore easily, and for the
most part it gave Relief[7]. We seldom repeated this Evacuation where
we suspected the Fever to be of the malignant kind, unless a pleuritic
Stitch, an acute Pain of the Bowels, or some other accidental Symptom,
required it; or the Patient was strong, and there were evident
Symptoms of Fullness immediately before we intended giving the Bark,
as shall be mentioned afterwards; for under other Circumstances, if
the Blooding was repeated, and other Evacuations used freely, I always
observed that it did Harm, and was apt to sink the Patient too much;
as Dr. _Huxham_, Dr. _Pringle_, and other good Practitioners, have
remarked.
[7] Dr. _Huxham_, tho’ he says “yet Bleeding to some Degree
is most commonly requisite, nay necessary, in the strong and
plethoric;” yet he afterwards makes the following Remark:
“Besides, the Pulse in these Cases sinks oftentimes
surprisingly after a second Bleeding, nay sometimes after the
first, and that even where I thought I had sufficient
Indications from the Pulse to draw Blood a second time.” See
his _Essay on Fevers_, chap. viii. And Dr. _Pringle_
observes, that in the second Stage of the Disorder large
Bleedings have generally proved fatal, by sinking the Pulse,
and bringing on a Delirium. _Observations on the Diseases of
the Army_, part III. chap. vii. sect. V.
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