The Present Method of Inoculating for the Small-Pox: To which are added, some experiments, instituted with a view to discover the effects of a similar treatment in the natural small-poxDimsdale, Thomas
History
The Present Method of Inoculating for the Small-Pox: To which are added, some experiments, instituted with a view to discover the effects of a similar treatment in the natural small-pox
Dimsdale, Thomas
Smallpox -- Vaccination -- Early works to 1800
This young woman sat up the greatest part of several days after she
was quite blind, by her own choice; and I do not recollect ever seeing
one with so large a crop of pustules, who went through the disease
so easily; for she made no complaint but of soreness, nor took any
medicine but a few drops of thebaic tincture at bed-time, towards the
crisis.
CASE XXVIII.
A poor man about 35 years of age, who had gone through the preparatory
course, came to my house in company with several more, in order to be
inoculated. As soon as he came into the room, I perceived he was ill,
and on inquiring he told me, that about two hours before he had been
taken with a fit of the ague, and that his head, back, and loins were
in great pain. Feeling his pulse, I found a good deal of fever, his
skin was also very hot. I knew the small-pox was in his neighbourhood;
and thence concluded he was seized with this distemper. I advised him
to keep abroad in the air as much as possible, and directed a pill
of the kind already mentioned at night, and a purging draught the
following morning.
These operated four or five times, and he persisted in obeying my
orders; the fever and other complaints were not so high as to give any
great alarm; he had a pretty large number of a distinct pock, and went
through the distemper very well.
CASE XXIX.
About three in the afternoon I visited a middle-aged man, who after
two days illness had an eruption, which the neighbours suspected to
be the small-pox; I found him in bed, very hot, and in a sweat; his
pulse quick, full, and strong; his face pretty full of small-pox,
which had begun to appear in the morning. I received the usual account
of the preceding symptoms, which had been pretty severe, and he
still made great complaints of pains in his head, back, and loins;
I immediately gave him a pill, containing cal. gr. v. tart. emet.
gr. 1/8, which I had taken with me upon a presumption that I might
want it: I also insisted on his getting up, and going abroad into the
air, notwithstanding the sweat he was in, which it was my intention
to restrain. I met with the usual difficulty in getting this advice
complied with; however he was assisted, came down stairs, and went
abroad, being supported by his wife; for he seemed very weak, and had
not been out of his bed for two days before. As he complained of great
thirst, I gave him a glass of cold water, and stayed about half an
hour to see the effect of this treatment; he was at first very faint
and sick, and vomited up some bilious matter, but not the pill he had
lately taken; after this, while I stayed he said his head was better,
and allowed he was refreshed by the air. I desired him to continue
abroad as much as he could, and when he found himself tired, to go in
and lie down a little; but as soon as he was able, to get out again,
and if thirsty, to drink as much cold water as he pleased. I then took
my leave, ordering a purging draught to be taken as soon as he received
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