Medical Inquiries and Observations, Vol. 3: The Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged by the AuthorRush, Benjamin
Science
Medical Inquiries and Observations, Vol. 3: The Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged by the Author
Rush, Benjamin
Medicine; Yellow fever -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
kinds in the yellow fever; that they had been found to be hurtful, and
that the disease yielded more readily to bark, wine, and, above all, to
the use of the cold bath. He advised the bark to be given in large
quantities by way of glyster, as well as in the usual way; and he
informed me of the manner in which the cold bath should be used, so as to
derive the greatest benefit from it. This mode of treating the yellow
fever appeared to be reasonable. I had used bark, in the manner he
recommended it, in several cases of sporadic yellow fever, with success,
in former years. I had, moreover, the authority of several other
physicians of reputation in its favour. Dr. Cleghorn tells us, that "he
sometimes gave the bark when the bowels were full of vicious humours.
These humours (he says) are produced by the fault of the circulation. The
bark, by bracing the solids, enables them to throw off the
excrementitious fluids, by the proper emunctories[65]."
[65] Page 223.
I began the use of each of Dr. Stevens's remedies the next day after my
interview with him, with great confidence of their success. I prescribed
bark in large quantities: in one case I ordered it to be injected into
the bowels every four hours. I directed buckets full of cold water to be
thrown frequently upon my patients. The bark was offensive to the
stomach, or rejected by it, in every case in which I prescribed it. The
cold bath was grateful, and produced relief in several cases, by inducing
a moisture on the skin. For a while I had hopes of benefit to my patients
from the use of these remedies, but, in a few days, I was distressed to
find they were not more effectual than those I had previously used. Three
out of four of my patients died, to whom the cold bath was administered,
in addition to the tonic remedies before-mentioned.
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