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
to the violence and danger of the fever; but I was soon satisfied that it
was as safe as cremor tartar or glauber's salts. It was adopted by
several of the surgeons of the hospital, and was universally known, and
sometimes prescribed, by the simple name of _ten_ and _ten_. This mode
of giving calomel occurred to me in preference to any other. The jalap
appeared to be a necessary addition to it, in order to quicken its
passage through the bowels; for calomel is slow in its operation, more
especially when it is given in large doses. I resolved, after mature
deliberation, to prescribe this purge. Finding ten grains of jalap
insufficient to carry the calomel through the bowels in the rapid manner
I wished, I added fifteen grains of the former to ten of the latter; but
even this dose was slow and uncertain in its operation. I then issued
three doses, each consisting of fifteen grains of jalap and ten of
calomel; one to be given every six hours until they procured four or five
large evacuations. The effects of this powder not only answered, but far
exceeded my expectations. It perfectly cured four out of the first five
patients to whom I gave it, notwithstanding some of them were advanced
several days in the disease. Mr. Richard Spain, a block-maker, in
Third-street, took eighty grains of calomel, and rather more of rhubarb
and jalap mixed with it, on the two last days of August, and on the first
day of September. He had passed twelve hours, before I began to give him
this medicine, without a pulse, and with a cold sweat on all his limbs.
His relations had given him over, and one of his neighbours complained to
me of my neglecting to advise them to make immediate preparations for
his funeral. But in this situation I did not despair of his recovery, Dr.
Mitchell's account of the effects of purging in raising the pulse,
exciting a hope that he might be saved, provided his bowels could be
opened. I now committed the exhibition of the purging medicine to Mr.
Stall, one of my pupils, who mixed it, and gave it with his own hand,
three or four times a day. At length it operated, and produced two
copious, f[oe]tid stools. His pulse rose immediately afterwards, and a
universal moisture on his skin succeeded the cold sweat on his limbs. In
a few days he was out of danger, and soon afterwards appeared in the
streets in good health, as the first fruits of the efficacy of mercurial
purges in the yellow fever.
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