The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1868-07-18
The FiverFamilia Symptoms Of Disease.
BYD. r. BOYER, NJ, ID,


eral is not limited to what is to be re-
garded as its principal or original seat
For example in cholera, while its cause,
no doubt, acts first upon the blood, the
nervous system is also affected, as well
as the stomach. In using the term Fe.
yer, as applied to diseased state of the
system, we must remember the same
word is used to designate several com.
plex diseases, as Remittent, Continued,
Typhus, Typhoid, Yellow, Dengual Fe-
yer, &c. This double use Of the word
is unfortunate, but cannot be avoided.
ln fact person has fever who has in
creased heat of the body, dryness of the
skin, diminution of secretions and ex-
cretions, muscular weakness, frequency
OF the pulse, functional disturbance of
the stomach, brain, &c. Heat is the
most essential characteristic of the feb
rile state, having given a name to it in
all languages.
The temperature in fever is generally
above the normal standard. The ther-
mometer is a useful aid in diagnosis and
prognosis making exact that informa-
tloh which every physician constantly
obtaius by the touch. The Arilla, or
almpit, is the best place for examination
OF temperature. The thermometer
should be kept there from three to five
minutes at time. In health, in the
armplt, the temperature averages $50 A.
Fahrenheit. 1t is almost one degree
higher in tropical than in temperate
climates. In the temperate climate it
is highest on waking in the morning, and
lowest at midnight. Ia tropical rrgions
it is lowest in the early morning, and
highest during the day. 1t is one or
two degrees higher in children than in
adults. A rise OF temperature in disease
OF l 0 Flt renhei, corresponds, as a rule,
wl,h m ilor 5e Of the pulse, of eight
to ten beats per minute. The thermo.
meter In the aimpit may, in same cases,
mark 1O6, los, or even ll20 Gas indi.
Gated on Fahrenheit's scale), which is
seldom the case, even Of a person dying
OF heat or sunstroke.
when the temperature is increased
beyond 9S05> it shows that the indvidu-
al is sick. When it is raised as high as
lOl, lO5, the fever is severe if above
lO5, the patient is in great danger but
if lOo-or 100 is reached, fatal issue
may without doubt be looked for in
very short time.
A person who was yesterday healthy,
and has this morning a temperature Of
lO40 Fahrenheit, is sure to have an at
tack of Ephemeral fever, or ague.
Should the temperature rise to 1862 the
case will certainly turn out some form of
malarial fever. 1t cannot be Typhoid,
for patient whose temperature rises
during the first day of illness mp to 1O5
or 1869 Fahrenheit, certainly does not
suffer from those slo,c and lolo forms of
fever called Typhus and Typhoid. If
child suffers from measels, and retains
high temperature after the eruption has
faded, you may be certain that some
complicrting disturbance is present. In
Typhoid fever temperature which does
not exceed 1033o indicates mild course
! of the disease. 105 in the evening or
lO4 in the morning shows danger in the
third week anything below 1910 is
favorable. In Inflammation of The lungs
a temperature of lO40 and upwards in
dIcates severe attack.
In acute rheumatism, a temperature
OF lO40 is always az alarming symptom,
foreboding danger, or some complication,
such as Inflammation of The pericarltum
or covering of the heart In consump-
tlon an increase of temperature shows
that the disease is advancing, or that bad
complications are setting 10.
A fever temperature of 104 to 1860
Fahrenheit in any disease, indicates that
its progress is not checked, aud compli-
cations may still occur. Certain diseas-
es have been found to have typical rang.
es, or daily r.ses and falls of tempera
ture throughout their course, so that
their diferential diagnosis " may be
thus materially assisted.
This has now been determined, espe-
cially in Malarious, Typhus and Typhoid
fevcrs, Smallpox, Scarlatina, Measels,
Rheumatism, Pyarmia, Pneumonia, and
acute tuberculosis or consumption.
DR.. Dacosta, of Philadelphia, has
lately told me he has found lowering
of temperature from the ordinary stan
dard in Cancer. In continued fevers
the temperature is generally less high
in the morning than in the evening.
Stability OF temperature from morning
till night is a good sign, On the other
hand if high temperature continues
from the evening till the morning, it is
a sign that the patient is getting or will
get worse but when it falls from the
eventng to the morning, it is a sure sign
of improvement. Convalescence from
disease will not begin until the normal
temperature of the body returns, and
maintains itself unchanged through all
periods Of the day aud night.
1hePulSe is an indication Of the action
OF the heart--beating fast or slow, us
the increased or decreased action # the