Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-09-16
YELLOW FEVER AND ITS TREAT
MENT.

The following article was published il
the LEDGER in 1867, and its reproduc
ton at this time win be considered quite
apropo. Cut it out for use in case Of
an emergency:
There is no disease of which strangers
have so much fear as of the yellow fever.
There is no disease more easily managed
IL only taken in time and the proper
course pursued. / speak from the ex'
perience of over twenty years in Louisi-
ana. Doctors may differ as they will,
and try g enhance their Importance by
learned theories on the causes, symp-
toms. treatment, etc. do not pretend
10 know the causes, or whether il is con
tagious or not, although | am inclined
70 think il is not, but do know the
symptoms and proper mode of treat
ment. | have nursed hundreds Of per
sons with yellow fever. and in all cases
where the patients were taken in time
aud properly treated they recovered,
aud where the contrary course was pur-
sued they invariably died.
Symptoms Headache; pain in the
back and bones; sometimes q slight
shivsriug at first; then flushed face
ewes inhamed, and often blood-shot;
pulse full and quick; skin dry and fever
ISL: sometimes sickness Of the stomach,
but zot often, at the beginning Of the
disease.
Treatmenf.-As soon as the patient
feels all or any Of these symptoms, even
II be 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, but the
treatment of other fevers viii not do for
yellow fever. There is no time to trife
with yellow fever; a delay Of few
hours has often proved fatal. II we err,
we had better err on the safe side.
The first thing to be done is to undress,
70 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 bear il, with plenty of good strong
mustard 10 II lat least cup full Let
the bath be given in a good sized foot
tub, while the patient Is lying on has
hack in bed. so thstth 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 msgnesia. The
latter is far pleas2nter 70 take; bottle
Of IL may be taken in two doses, with az
interval Of one or two hours. Keep up
a gentle perspirAiion as long as the fever
lasts. II the skin should become dry,
give another foot bath. Let the patient
remain quiet from all excitement. de
must be watched continually TO keep
him from throwing of the bed clothes.
He Is sometimes delirious; keep cloths
vet frequently in ice water 70 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-
gatiYe 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 be-
fore seTenty-tEo hours from the time II
comes on. AT the end Of that time
there Is almost always sickness Of the
stomach: The patient must not be let
Youit. q mustard po1ltice put upon the
chest will prevent H. Let the patient
also swsllos some ice pounded 10 3
towel until il il almost ike suos. II the
Dstient Is very weak when the fever
leaves bin, let . little stiuulani Be
given, cay 8 tesspOOnfgl Of the besi
brandy 10 3 little ice WeteT and white
sugar to Be repeated every half hour.
/. Quinine may also be given - 3 tonic With
very good effect; say one or Two grains
Gt 3 time. Let II be remembered that
white the fever lasts, viz. daring the
FIRST three days, no food Whatever il n
be given. Altar the fever IL gone and
the stomach j. perfectly quiet. that Il
, about the fourth OF 9Th day, IL there Il
no relapse, food may be given, bat Of The
p very lightest kind, and 10 the very small
est quantities; say a little nee grusi
[ corn starch, chicken water, beef Tea. Z
!, little LsE and toast, and 70 on. Let the
patient not attempt TO get up before tbs
eighth day, no naltaT bow well be feels
IL for relapse is nearly always fatal, and
l. with the yellow fever one sHGsFs 90 Iiills
d. that be thinks be "a we'll when be Z not
] do not pretend 10 say that We should
., be independent Of physician. let Ons
ot be sent for by all means where the par
" ties are able, but let the physician b
n. enc who has lived in a Southern climzi,
long enough TO become thoroughly &C
ie luai nted Siib the diseases Of the South
IS otherwise yoB ba4 bsiier have none 4
Il these simple remedies az applied, Their
is not the slightest danger Ia hat th'
> patient will recover.
. ] would observe, also. that the panen
d must be kept as cheerful a. possibl,
d without icing excited. Let the nursi
g, not be ehSnEe9 il il can be avoided
: Everybody who knoEs anything Of vel
v low lever knows there Is Iaesc in goot
J. nursing than there is in doctoring. Cor
II Kes Orleans Republican.