The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1815-03-01
FOR THE ENQUIRE .

TIE EPIDEMIC which at present prevails in Rich
mond and the adjacent countless has proved fatal to
many-lt may with propriety be called
The Epidemic Iyfihoid CatarTh:
Ii is the winter fever of DR.. Sydenhaun but known
among us at present, by the terms Cold Sore Throat
Pleurisy, Influenza, SScltis the Kindly Catarrhal Fee
yer OF hoffman, and il is treated of by Huxha in his
obssryationes de Acre Il Morbs Epidemics lit has
been called by some the Humid Cr0np, Sutf,canp o-
Catarrhal Perpncumony, &c.
The Following IS DIR Sydenham's description oft =
Paroxlsins ofheat& cold succeed alternately for eay
or two after the beginning of the fever pains in the heal
and limbs, and unversa restlessncss ACCOMPANY If
the tongue is white the pulse much the same as in
healthy person; the urine turbid and high cooured s.
the blood like that of pleurc rersons-ir is also gene
rally attended with cough but not with such {, da;
cut respiration, sratness Of the breast or so violent
pain in the heal in coughing ordinarily happens in
bastard perpoeumeuy. Hence this fever has none f
the distinguishing capital symptoms of peripnen.
mony, though it differs from il only in degree. / call
1t the Winter Fever"
The same author further says " It seems 10 pro-
coed fron, the GOODNESS, density & moisture of the Dir
WREN the pores of the skin closed and the blood
from an obstructed perspiTaon, loaded with copioIs
serum, which, by its long continuance in he vessch
becomes prejuic'l, pHtries. and easily raises fever
upon taking cold, or from nc other slight cause
And ifthere be much morbc matter it occasors such
fever as we have described under the title of Bastard
Peripneumony."
The plan oftreatment which this great physician
thought the symptoms Indicated and which he snccess
p"iS"cu, WAS Tue IOliOWnB :-One bleeding OF
eght on nine ounces one, two, three of the miIdest
parses, as the symptoms seemed to Indicate on diff
ferent days, an anofne at night mild expcctorants
keeping his patients cool while they were forbidden
not only the use OF every thing stimulating but even
nourishng tilt [. The plan of treatment pursued bv
Boerhaave, Hoffman, Huxham and others was smi
lar, and the writer has attended many hundreds in this
epidemic in the often years practice and treat
ed them m similar manner. without losing single
patient The purges, indeed, he generally seh con.
tanned some purgatve salts he employed the ethcre-
oil spir n. as tebrfIlge and daploretic about the
acme OF the disease, and to relieve the headache by
equallzng vascular motion, pediluvia in the arche
and sometimes more stimulating applications tn the
feet III more advanced state ofhe disease He found
sometimes necessary 10 shave the head and even tn
apply blister to it or to the side relieve violent pan
there. In some cases puke has appeared tn be in.
dicated, and was given; neutral SALT especially nitro
was employed on such DAYS rs appt AIRED improper
10 blce or purge. The latter, indeed was employed
rather rs fcbrituge than as evacuant--and the
former as palliative and not rs remedy
In some the pulse was found so large tense r.
unyelding as torequire second bleeding but in ~
tIer cases, even small bleeding seemed inexpedi.
ent, rs the disease appeared merely typhus tshered
in with cold.
Bitters useful, as the feb-e construction of the
secernng system subsidies where the disease proves
tedious IN consequence Of neglect in the beginning or
too hssty cyHeuatons by bleeding, purging or sweat
leg, the mineral acids valuable and especially the
muriatc, and their use IS not TO be dispensed with
JOHN MORGAN
Richmond, PED. q, 1915
or We have seen what Shields has doss--h;4 poi.
liant achievement has nobJ avenged BIS wrongs and
embissoned h's regulators,