Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-10-02
ICOMMUNICATED

The following remarks are from the pen of who
has seen and nursed hundreds of cases of yellow fever
This disease in different Places and in the same place.
at different seasons will vary in many of its symptoms,
and in its magnity. Ordinarily, if properly treated
from the beginning, not ore case in ten will prove
fatal.
The first attack Of the disease rather the first ef
feet of the poison when received into the system is
produce torpor OF the bowels. The person becomes
cosive-is frequently without pain, feels quiet and
easy as usual attends to business aud thinks he was
never in better health ard spirits This may last for
two or five days. 1t is followed sometimes by gra-
duay uneasy feeling which he tries to shake off, Or by
sudden outburst Of the fever itself with chill then
high pulse hot skim pain over the eyes and sometimes
also in the eyes. The uneasy feeling just mentioned
will in halt day two days pass into this same state
This lasts, ordinarily four five days, and is succeed
ed by proStraton of the whole system with cold clam
my skin. On the seventh eighth day there is re-
dictionary fever and the patient RECEIVERS Cases prove
fatal On the fifth, or subsequent day. Death en-
sues in every FORM Sometimes in cases Of extremely
weak constitutions with cear minds and sweet quiet
in stronger constitutions with delirum aud sometimes
most distressing paxozysms, ending in coma.
There are the ordinary features of Of yellow e
yer. Circumstances may cause them to vary very
much.
The first precauon against yellow fever is to keep
the boCeLs open gently every day. Nothing is i'm
portant If you find yourself at all costve take some
gentle aperient. But be also careful not to weaken
yourself by violent purgatVeS nor by excessive work.
Try to keep your system regular and in its normal
state. You may Notwithstanding this take the fever
But the probability is that the attack will be light
| one.
Second, as the chill and the heightened pulse
mot the bot skn for that is often coo and the COM
mencement of the headache show the of the fever
take an emetc. tumber two OF tepid water, with
salt in it, will do very we'll After this has acted WE'LL
take warm foot bath relieve the headache and three
or four hours after the emec take dose of castor OIL
or some purgative. Let the patient be put in bed and
kept as quiet Gs possible. DR.. Finley, of Havana used
to say that the best treatment of yellow fever to
be seven days your back without much crook
ing your finger. Perfect stiffness Of the body Of great
| Importance.
At this period of the case, physician can ordi-
narily be obtained, and be will generally fod his
patient doing very well, and will give such special
treatment as be judges the case to require.
Patients sometimes suffer very much from thirst. If
this be excessive, 1t is bad sign-though few ex-
ceptona cases are said tc have none whee
water relieved the thirst and many where it FASTENED
the death of the patient Rather give from time to
tme as seldom possible table spoonful of catnip
tea or hoarhound tea have known few where
the patient would hold the mouth full of water for
eral minutes until it became and then without
swallowing drop, eject it, and fill the mouth again,
and again. Doing this four or FIVE times assusges
the thirst wonderfully fer hour after which the oper
alton may be repeated 1t requires nerve on the part
Of the patient to control himself and abstain from swa
lowing the water In every instance under my obser-
walton in which patient so controlled himself, this
assusged the thirst seemed to asy the fever and
ia due time he recovered. On the contrary swallowing
the water, under that excessive thirst would perhaps
gradually bring the black vomit and the attendant
should therefore, be guided in giving it by the nsruc-
tions of the physician. If the patient will drink, the
catnip tea is much better in my opinion.
fatal mistake is often made, when ordinarily the
patient is over the fever and out Of danger This at
tack euesbles him -of ell his organs the stomach is,