Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-02-08
From the DAILY Compiler
MEDICAL NOTICE.

/
The prevailing Epidemic, known in differ.
ent sections ofthe country by different names
IN the western states, By the appei.a, ion OF tie.
eoid-plagws is properly grade OF typhus e..
YER. In regions where it RACES, there must be
present some poisonous agent which debli
| ,qtcs the organic movements ofthe system -
| Or else there is want of something in the at
| m osphere, upon full supply oi which, the vi
| tai functions are dependent, for a D RECT state
J of the powers oflif Through this abridr-
m mt of VII pow r. the system is placed in a
J condition which readers it unable to ,iiuse the
ci"cal alton, with complete and equable inpe.
| tus, throughout the whole mass. Those yes
sells most remote from the centre OF motion
| must anguish most Hence the surface IS first
| enteebled and external colt must act first and
! chiefly upoa the surface Hence ii follows that
persons having previously been in feeble heath /;
those who are badly c;ad-those who live in
cold houses, or are badly supplied with fuel for
| fires, and escepecially such as are exposed 10
| fatigue and to The weather. will furnish the
| greater number of instances of this form OF dis
ease The unteebed surface under The infiu-
ence of cold which it is not prepared To resist +,
| is imperccptibly brought into condition APP
| proXimating to state of death whilst the
powers Of life repe led from the surface and
| concentrated upon the vital organs, produce \
| storm OF excitement, which threatens speedy
| destruction
The excitement, thus pent up, determines
upon the head, upon the chest, and upon the
! glands of the throat
Upon this theory octhe disease, blood letting
must necessarily, in most ms ances, be pernici-
Gus. BY the sudden loss OF blood, tue surface,
almost deprived of life, is instan y lett desti-
| tue of excitement that is, is reduced to "a state
| of death.-No measures within the reach OF hu :
man power, can asterw ards prevent the destruc.
! ton of the patient
| For the cure, the first intention should be BY
the application of heat, in some way, to restore
4 due portion ot excitement to the surface.-
| And this can be done more speedily and effec-
tu.iy, by the agency of the patent steam BATH
where it can be had, than by any other means
After the use OF the bath, the bowels should
be cleared by gentla, but brisk catharthic -
| say salts, sinna and mama After the opera
ton OF the cathartic, the bath should be repeat
ed. And if the symptoms still continue,
large blister should be drawn upon any part
| m0s' contiguous to the seat of the pain. And
in any very alarming case, it would be highly
useful, to wrap the patient IN blanket, wrung
out OF heated spirit ofvery high proof, in which
portion oil spirit of turpcntne, has been pre-
vicusly dissolved. Possibly, in Some instanccs,
this treatment might suPe-cede the necessity
of blis;erS. e, however, the throat be conSi>
derabiy affected, blister ought to be applied
to the neck, to extend dowa the hack or breast,
so as to secure b!istored surface, equal IN
area, to IN hundred, or an hundred and twenty
square inches.-A second, or third cathartic,
may frequently be found necessary But No
blood letting should be tried, until the excite
rnent OF the surface is, by some means, first
properly secured
The explanation, here given, Of this alarming
complaint, vil account for its appearances,
without referring it to any thing like contag on.
And regular EiUiRg, moderate exercise, aud
constant use of goqa FIRES, will be found general
ly etfectual to prevent its assault.
SAMUEL X. JENNINGS.
February 9Th, 1915
p. s. When this affection prevails it W i'll be
particularly necessary to prevent continued
state of the bowels, by using some gentle laxa.
tive, whenever it is found necessary.
- Benevolent Editors of Newspapers, who
may think this notice worthy of regard, will
give it furtker publicity, at discretion.
should Gelieve thar men in habits ofintsns-
beranee might be added TO the list.
To the Editors QSthe Petersburg InteHtgeneer