Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-10-01
Ysllow Fsysr-Its Treatment.

have so much fear as Of the yellow fever.
There is no disease more easily managed
if only taken in time and the proper
course pursued. i speak from the ex-
perience Of over twenty years in Loulsl-
ana. Doctors may differ as they will,
and try TO enhance their Importance by
learned theories on the causes, symp.
toms, treatment, etc. do not pretend
to know the causes, or whether it is con.
tagious or not, although | am inclined
to think il is not, but i do know the
symptoms and proper mode Of treatment.
| have nursed hundreds of persons with
yellow fever, and in all cases where the
patients we're taken in time and properly
treated they recovered, and where the
contrary course was pursued they in
variably died.
Observation-Disclosures; pain in the
back and bones; sometimes slight
shivering at first; then flushed face ;
eyes inhamed, and often blood.shot ;
pulse full and quick; skin dry and fe-
verish sometimes sickness Of the stom.
ach, but not often, at the beginning of
the disease.
feels all or any of these symptoms, even
if he should not be satisfied that he has
the yellow fever, he had better be treated
for it, because the treatment of yellow
fever will do for other fevers, bat the
treatment of other fevers will not do for
yellow fever. There is no time to trihe
with yellow fever; delay Of few
hours has often proved fatal. IF we err,
we had better err on the safe side. !"
The first thing to be done is to undress,
90 to bed and cover up with blankets.
Let foot bath be prepared as quick as
possible; let it be as hot as the patient
can lear it, with plenty of good strong
mustard in it lat least a cup full. Let
the bath be given in good sized foot
tub, while the patient is lying on his
back in bed, so that the blanket will cover
the foot tub and patient at the same
time Let the feet remain in the bath
about fifteen minutes, then give the pa
tent a simple dose of medicine, it may
be castor oil or citrate magnesia. The
latter is far pleasanter to take; bottle
of it may be taken in two doses, with an
interval of one or two hours, Keep up
gentle perspiration as long as the fever
lasts. If the skin should become dry,
give another foot bath. Let the patient
remain quiet, from all excitement. He
must be watched continually TO keep
him from throwing off the bed clothes.
He is sometimes delirious; keep cloths
wet frequently in ice water to his fore
head. Let his drink be ice water, ice
lemonade; do not give too much for fear
of disturbing the stomach. Let no pur.
gative be given after the first day; if the
bowels are not free enough, other means
can be resorted to. By all means let the
patient be kept perfectly quiet
The fever never entirely subsidies
before seventytwo hours from the time
it comes on. At the end of that time
there is almost always sickness of the
stomach the patient must not be let
vomit, mustard poultice put upon the
chest will prevent it, Let the patient
also swallow some ice pounded in a
towel until it is almost like snow. If the
patient is very weak when the fever
leaves him, let little stimulaht be given,
say teaspoonful of the best brandy in
little ice water and white sugar, to be
repeated every half hour. Quinine may
also be given as tonic with very
good effect; say one or tive grains at
n time. Let it be remembered that
while the fever lasts, viz: during
the first three days, no food whatever is
to be given. After the fever is gone and
the stomach is perfectly quiet, that is
about the fourth or fifth day, if there is
no relapse, food may be given, but of
the very lightest kind, and in the very
smallest quantities; say little rice
cruel, corn starch, chicken water, beef
ten. little tea and toast, and so on.
Let the patient not attempt to get up be.
fore the eighth day, no matter how we'll
he feels, for relapse is nearly always
fatal, and with the yellow fever one
suffers so little that he thinks he is well
when he is not. ;,
| do not pretend to say that we should
be Independent of a physician. Let one
he sent for by all means where the parties
are able, but let the physician be one
who has lived in Southern climate
long enough to become thoroughly ac-
ouainted with the diseases Of the South,
otherwise you had better have none. If
these simple remedies are applied, there
is not the slightest danger but that the
patient will recover
| would observe, also, that the patient
must be kept as cheerful as possible
without being excited Let the nurse not
be changed if it can be avoided. Every
body who knows anything of yellow fever
knows there is more in good nursing
than there is in doctoriHg. Cor. Neie
Orleans Republican,