Domestic medicine : $b or, a treatise on the prevention and cure of diseases by regimen and simple medicines. With an appendix, containing a dispensatory for the use of private practitionersBuchan, William
Science
Domestic medicine : $b or, a treatise on the prevention and cure of diseases by regimen and simple medicines. With an appendix, containing a dispensatory for the use of private practitioners
Buchan, William
Medicine, Popular -- Early works to 1800
REGIMEN.——All acrimonious, heating, and irritating food and drink are
carefully to be avoided. The weakness of the patient may deceive the
bystanders, and induce them to give him wines, spirits, or other
cordials; but these never fail to increase the disease, and often
occasion sudden death. The inclination to vomit may likewise impose on
the attendants, and make them think a vomit necessary; but that too is
almost certain death.
The food must be light, thin, cool, and easy of digestion. It must be
given in small quantities, and should neither be quite cold nor too hot.
Thin gruel made of barley or oatmeal, light toasted bread dissolved in
boiling water, or very weak chicken broth, are the most proper. The
drink should be clear whey, barley-water, water in which toasted bread
has been boiled, or decoctions of emollient vegetables; as liquorice and
marsh-mallow roots, sarsaparilla, &c.
MEDICINE.——Bleeding in this disease is absolutely necessary, and is
almost the only thing that can be depended on. When the disease proves
obstinate, it will often be proper to repeat this operation several
times, nor must the low state of the pulse deter us from doing so. The
pulse indeed generally rises upon bleeding, and as long as that is the
case, the operation is safe.
Frequent fomentations with lukewarm water, or a decoction of emollient
vegetables, are likewise beneficial. Flannel cloths dipped in these must
be applied to the region of the stomach, and removed as they grow cool.
They must neither be applied too warm, nor be suffered to continue till
they become quite cold, as either of these extremities would aggravate
the disease.
The feet and legs ought likewise to be frequently bathed in lukewarm
water, and warm bricks or poultices may be applied to the soles of the
feet. The warm bath, if it can be conveniently used, will be of great
service.
In this, and all other inflammations of the bowels, an epispastic, or
blistering-plaster, applied over the part affected, is one of the best
remedies I know. I have often used it, and do not recollect one instance
wherein it did not give relief to the patient.
The only internal medicines which we shall venture to recommend in this
disease, are mild clysters. These may be made of warm water, or thin
water-gruel; and if the patient is costive, a little sweet oil, honey,
or manna, may be added. Clysters answer the purpose of an internal
fomentation, while they keep the body open, and at the same time nourish
the patient, who is often in this disease unable to retain any food upon
his stomach. For these reasons they must not be neglected, as the
patient’s life may depend on them.
INFLAMMATION OF THE INTESTINES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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