The National Register.
London, England, 1816-03-31 00:00:00

sketiitai 13onitor.
NUM fiV.R VII.

SALIN IPOPULI SITIPI,XXA EST LXX.

SCARLET FEVER.

SEVERAL instances of scarlet fever have presented
themselves to notice, chiefly occurring among children,
although, in one OMly, the mother appears to have
taken this complaint by nursing her little patients. The
character of this disease varies much in different seasons;
sometimes it is accompanied by all the symptoms of ma-
lignity, and hurries on rapidly to a final termiaation.
The ulcerations of the throat besome gangrenous, anti
the febrile affection of the general system puts on the ap-
peantnce of a low or putrid fever, as it has been called,
and the patient requires the prompt exhibitim et* tonics
and cordials to support the sinking frame. At other
times the sore throat seems to put on more of an inflam-
matory character, and the attendant fever to be one of
increased action, and more vigorous excitement, in which
the depleting system of bleeding and other evacuations is
loudly called for. What are the peculiar circumstances
which determine these opposite states et' the saute com-
plaint, cannot be clearly ascertained ; but they frequently
seem to operate through several successive seasons. Dur-
ing the present winter, the disease has, in general, 'ma-
i:eased a mild character, and the deaths, than this com-
plaint, have been proportionably few. Some difference
of opinion seems to have prevailed among the public, whe-
ther the human system is liable to be repeatedly attacked
with this affection ; or whether, like the small-pox, its
effects on the constitution protect it from future invasion.
It may, with truth, he asserte I, that, in common with
small-pox, and other eruptive diseases of the same kind,
it possesses, in general, the power of attacking the system
once only ; but this law admits of sonic exceptions : the
small-pox is occasionally found to occur a second time in
the same person, and the instances of the scarlet fever
doing so, may he rather more frequent. In the latter dis-
ease it is probable, that after a person has once passed
through it, any subsequent attack will be of a mild de-
xeription. Children are, at all times, more susceptible of •
the disease than adults, and considerable precautions are
requisite, to prevent its entirely running through a fa-
mily, when one of its members has been seized with it.
Nothing less than complete separation from, and avoid-
ing all intercourse with the patient, will be sufficient to
protect those not alreatlx affected, and this sort of qua-
rantine must be extended to a considerable period, liar
the power of communicating infection resides a long time
in the eonvalesceat. Until the whole of the cuticle, which
always falls off ist scales after this fever, is completely de-
tached, any approach may be considered hazardous. Even
the best concerted measures will frequently lid of restrict-
ing the disease to a single individual in a fitmily; the in-
fection may probably be communicated from one child to
another by exhalation from the lungs, before the charac-
ter of the disease is clearly ascertained. Were a patient
to be seen, by a skilful practitioner, in its earliest period
of illness, it woull not always be possible to determine
the precise nature of the disease, so similar in their first
attack arc all fevers of the eruptive class. One advan-
tage, however, it is generally in our power to obtain ; if
we cannot prevent the communication of the fever, we
may put the subject of its threatened attack into a state
best adapted fins its favourable progress. An emetic, a
Gtentle dose of physic, a proper regulation of diet, a cool-
ing regimen, an avoidance of unnecessary heat and irri-
tation, will much ameliorate the symptoms of the fever
when it comes on ; and these are precautions which can
always be employed when appearances are suspicious, by
those at least in easy circumstances : for among the poor,
it too often happens, that for want of adequate means,
fevers of a contagions character are freely left to their own
unopposed ravages. Often do we find, that a whole fit-
wily sleeps in the same apartmeat, three or Jintr children
in a bed, entirely tit/angers to the luxury of clean linen,
perhaps an old dirty blanket their only covering. We
not only view tile introduction of contagion into such :t
family, with the pity anti commiseration which the poor
little sinkrers are entitled to receive from every humane
person, but with dread soul appreheasioa lest u focus of
lull •t tioa should be firmed. whence it maw be disseminated,
and brought into our own homes, and waving our own
eltiblem. Nor are our kirs entirely groundless, thr in-
Ocsd this is very frequently the case ; oftentimes may
the origin of ten infectioee fever be traced to sonic blind
roan or narrow all.:y in this crowded metropolis, which,
by a regolac distill of comma:aim:hal, and through the
weans. of unavoidable personel intercourse, readies at
length the lofty and elegant inanaina. The knawledge
of this feet eliould operate on the of loent and Yee:al:lly as
an i-aluesment to bestow that asaistanue ou the score of
self-prose wlieb disinterested charity alone, per-
Imps, might plead far in vain. Su connected are the tiffs
ferent classes of Stki4ty, and so necessary is the assistance
of each to nil, that the condint and weltkre of one can
never be cousilereal an a matter or intliffereme to the
other. Ilu• tanniiicence of the rich, in such cases, is am-
ply rewarded by the grateful returns of the nuor, by the
increased security froin personal danger, and sill more,
the internal satislhetion which never fails to attend
the constiemsness of a duty well peilisrowl, G.