Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1822-09-12


BOARD OF HEALTH. Sept. 81.
The following valuable communication,
drawn up by. Doctor Hosack, al the re-
Quest of the Mayor, is published by desire
Of the Board Of Health;
Nsw York, Sept. 20, 1919.
DEAR Srn-As many of our citizens arr
now removing from the injected parts OF
the town TO the country, It is probable,
iudginp from occurrences of former years,
that some may take with them the seeds OF
the prevailing disease. In such cases. es-
pecially where the sick may not have It IN
their power to command the attention OF =
physician, it is important that they should
have some knowledge ofthe treatment pro-
per to be pursued.
Agreeably TO your request, have put
together few hints, pointing out the
means that experience has sbewn TO be al
tended with tie greatest success.
When first indisposed, by the symptoms
announcing an attack OF this disorder, VIZ.
a sense of GOODNESS, followed by severe
pains of the head, back and limbs, great
redness and burning of the eyes, with
degree Of weight and oppression about
the region Of the stomach, the patent
should Immediately take an ounce OF Giau-
Der Rochelle or EPSON salts, drinking
frequently cup OF thin Cruel, toast water
or herb tea, during their operation. !,
The patient being 10 bed, and covered
with blanket, perspiration is generally
promoted at the same time that the cathar-
tie effects of the salts are produced.
Should the salts be rejected by vomiting
let the stomach be we'll emplied by cup
of warm water or chamomie tea. when
the stomach is composed, the salts may be
again resoIted to, or some other ca har'ic
medicine may be administered, such as
castor oil, rhubarb and magnesia, an Intu-
sion OF SIENNA and mama, or the common
domestic injection may be had recourse
to-,
When by some oithese means, the bow,
els have been relieved, the patient should
continue the use of warm drinks, for the
purpose OF producing perspiration, upon
which, in a great degree, his safety de-
ponds.
Should the skin remain hot and dry,
bathing the feet and legs in warm water,
and drinking freely OF warm lemonade.
vinegar whey, catnep, boneset, snake
root oalm or sage tea, will rarely fail to
effect plentiful discharge by the surface.
The spirits of mindererus, given IN doses
of table spoonful every two hours, and
occasionally spunging the body with warm
vinegar and water, will also be very use
full in efecting this object.
The respiration being thus Obtained,
should be continued if possible without
intermission until the patient Ia perfectly
tree from fever, which will generally be
the case in about 48 hours
If the bead be oppressed by stupor, a,
blister between the shoulders, or Two OF
them applied behind the ears. will be use
ful. In an athletic habit OF body, the loss
of few ounce. of blood, by cupplng, or
by the arm, ha. in some instances afford
ed great relief, but this remedy is very
rarely necessary, or proper, Tor IN most
cases biocdletting has been attended Wild
fatal consequences. :,
If the stomach is disturbed, and the
drinks are rejected By vomiting, attended
with much anxiety and signing, blister
should be instantly applied over the pit OF
the stomach. If this fails TO give relief,
and the vomiting should prove obstinate,
attended with dark coloured discharges
mixture OF equal parts OF lime water and
milk. gwen in smal quantities, lsay halt
a wine glass full OF each every halt hour)
will frequently arrest it. ln other cases,
the lime water alone. and in some, milk
alone, has been found useful, while in some
few cases, porter and lime water, conbin-
ed, has been successful, when every thing
else has proved Intellectual.
While these means are made use OF, the
extremities should be kept warm by TO-
mentations of vinegar and water. or spirits
and water, frequently renewed. and cata-
psalms, composed of meal mustard and
vinegar should be applied 10 the soles 'of
the feet. In some instances, biisters ap-
piled TO the ankles, or the wrists have ar
rested vomiting that had resisted every
other means. The diet of he sick in this
disease should be simple, and chiefly com.
posed of vegetable Dourishment,, such as
barley water, Indian or oatmeal Cruel, ar
row root, sage and panada; and Tor a lew
days during convalescence. the patient
should avoid animal food. and when. he
returns to the use Of it, she should first
take it in the form of soups, and these
prepared with large proportion OF rice,
barly and other vegetables.
Emetics and mercury, which are very
generally prescribed in the bilious-remlt-
tent and typhus levers, are for the most
part prejudicia in this form Of fever, and
ought SELDOM to be employed, and then
only under the direction of physician.
Allow me to add this truth, however hu-
initiating it may be 10 the pride OF science,
and mention it in confirmation of the
effects of this comparatively mild treat
mept, that in the yellow lever of 1894,