Bathing the feet and legs frequently in lukewarm water, when the disease attacks the face or brain, has an excellent effect. It tends to make a derivation from the head, and seldom fails to relieve the patient. When bathing proves ineffectual, poultices, or sharp sinapisms, may be applied to the soles of the feet, for the same purpose. In cases where bleeding is requisite, it is likewise necessary to keep the body open. This may be effected by emollient clysters, or small doses of nitre and rhubarb. Some indeed recommend very large doses of nitre in the erysipelas; but nitre seldom sits easy on the stomach when taken in large doses. It is however one of the best medicines when the fever and inflammation run high. Half a drachm of it, with four or five grains of rhubarb, may be taken in the patient’s ordinary drink, four times a day. When the erysipelas leaves the extremities, and seizes the head so as to occasion a delirium or stupor, it is absolutely necessary to open the body. If clysters and mild purgatives fail to have this effect, stronger ones must be given. Blistering plasters must likewise be applied to the neck, or behind the ears, and sharp cataplasms laid to the soles of the feet. When the inflammation cannot be discussed, and the part has a tendency to ulcerate, it will then be proper to promote suppuration, which may be done by the application of ripening poultices with saffron, warm fomentations, and such like. When the black, livid, or blue colour of the part shews a tendency to mortification, the Peruvian bark must be administered. It may be taken along with acids, as recommended in the small-pox, or in any other form more agreeable to the patient. It must not however be trifled with, as the patient’s life is at stake. A drachm may be given every two hours, if the symptoms be threatening, and cloths dipped in warm camphorated spirits of wine, or the tincture of myrrh and aloes, may be applied to the part, and frequently renewed. It may likewise be proper in this case to apply poultices of the bark, or to foment the part affected with a strong decoction of it. In what is commonly called the _scorbutic erysipelas_, which continues for a considerable time, it will only be necessary to give gentle laxatives, and such things as purify the blood and promote the perspiration. Thus, after the inflammation has been checked by opening medicines, the decoction of woods[104] may be drank, after which a course of bitters will be proper.