The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-16
The Plague In the West indies.
IMPORTANT ADVICE TO SHlPMASTERS.
TO THE EDITOR OF TIE HERALD.


A malignant and fatal fever having prevailed as
an epidemic throughout the West Indies, during the
past summer, and still continuing its ravages in
many places ! consider it part of my public duty
to make known such remedies as have proved high
ly successful here trusting that through the extern
sive circulation of your journal, they may reach
other infected districts and, in some measure, al
leviate the evil. / make no pretenson whatever to
medical knowledge, all my experience having been
acquired at the sick bed and from the perusal of
such medical books as have fallen in my way. The
emetic and purge have found most beneficial in
TINS lever, are those recommended in a work OF Or.
W. Beach, OF New York, on family medicine. Az
soon a. ahe symptoms OF the fever appear such as
headacne, nausea, lassitude, pains in the limbs or
back, &C., powerful emetic should be Immediately
administered, followed, as soon as practicable by an
active purge, soaking the feet frequently in not mus
tard or ley water If the relief be not speedy and
the blood tends to the head bowels causing in
ternal heat or irritation, particularly in the latter
with GOODNESS or unequal circulation in the ex-
tremtes there Is danger OF congestion and recourse
must be had at once to mustard poultices, commen-
cling the inside Of the legs at both ancles and re-
moving them upwards, as the burning becomes in
supportabe, to the calves, the thighs, then to the
wrists, middle and upper parts OF the arms, and,
should there be much pain in the head, to the tenn
PIES behind the ears, and on the back of the neck.
bathing the head frequently with diluted camphor-
ated spirits or new rum and during these applca-
ly given, and cooling applications, wet cloths, &C.,
applied to the bowels. Stronger mustard pOultices
should be repeated on the outside of the legs and
arms, if all danger Of congestion be not removed,
and any symptoms Of fever still remain. The pa
ticnt should be again freely purged with mixture
Of olive and castor oils, with the addition of little
lime juice. When the fever breaks, quinine or
some other tonic may be given there is, however,
little danger of remission. Bleeding may be neces-
sary in extreme cases, and must be left to the dis
erection of the physician, although in most that have
come under my notice, it has had no good effect.
This fever seems to act like poison, received
from the atmosphere into the SYSTEM and should be
expelled as SUCH from the stomach and ntestines,
before it has time to corrupt the blood, few hours
delay often proving fatal. Those who fall victims
to this disease usually become putrid and discolored
as soon as dead BY the above course of treatment,
have seen restored to health many patients who
had already vomted black and in the first stages,
the timely application of the emetic and purge has
frequently effected cure. This fever runs from
three to five days, and is treacherous as often
scarcely TO declare itself the surface and requires
the utmost vigilance and attention on the part Of
the nurse as well as the physician.
JOHN L. WILSON,
United States Commercial Agent.
CAPE HAyTIEN, January, 1853