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
Spitting of blood, in a strong healthy person, of a sound constitution,
is not very dangerous; but when it attacks the tender and delicate, or
persons of a weak lax fibre, it is with difficulty removed. When it
proceeds from a scirrhus or polypus of the lungs, it is bad. The danger
is greater when the discharge proceeds from the rupture of a large
vessel than of a small one. When the extravasated blood is not spit up,
but lodges in the breast, it corrupts, and greatly increases the danger.
When the blood proceeds from an ulcer in the lungs, it is generally
fatal.
REGIMEN.——The patient ought to be kept cool and easy. Every thing that
heats the body or quickens the circulation, increases the danger. The
mind ought likewise to be soothed, and every occasion of exciting the
passions avoided. The diet should be soft, cooling, and slender; as rice
boiled with milk, small broths, barley-gruels, panado, &c. The diet, in
this case, can scarce be too low. Even water-gruel is sufficient to
support the patient for some days. All strong liquors must be avoided.
The patient may drink milk and water, barley-water, whey, butter-milk,
and such like. Every thing however should be drank cold, and in small
quantities at a time. He should observe the strictest silence, or at
least speak with a very low voice.
MEDICINE.——This, like the other involuntary discharges of blood, ought
not to be suddenly stopped by astringent medicines. More mischief is
often done by these than if it were suffered to go on. It may however
proceed so far as to weaken the patient, and even endanger his life; in
which case proper means must be used for restraining it.
The body should be kept gently open by laxative diet; as roasted apples,
stewed prunes, and such like. If these should not have the desired
effect, a tea-spoonful of the lenitive electuary may be taken twice or
thrice a-day, as is found necessary. If the bleeding proves violent,
ligatures may be applied to the extremities, as directed for a bleeding
at the nose.
If the patient be hot or feverish, bleeding and small doses of nitre
will be of use; a scruple or half a drachm of nitre may be taken in a
cup of his ordinary drink twice or thrice a-day. His drink may likewise
be sharpened with acids, as juice of lemon, or a few drops of the spirit
of vitriol; or he may take frequently a cup of the tincture of roses.
Bathing the feet and legs in lukewarm water has likewise a very good
effect in this disease. Opiates too are sometimes beneficial; but these
must be administered with caution. Ten or twelve drops of laudanum may
be given in a cup of barley-water twice a-day, and continued for some
time, provided they be found beneficial.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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