, 1875-06-02

and good circumstances, who nave Iallen VIC
tins to the disease, whereas children nave
been entirely spared.
Leaving alone. however, the question OF the
cause, it must now be stated that the epidemic
has also here presented the most Varlegated
picture, and been so manifold In Its appearance
that here, as we'll as elsewhere, 1t Impossible
to give a description of it that holds good In
all cases. 1t is 50 deceivlng, so chameleon
like as scarcely any other disease. One form
of it has been very prominent here, the one
that has been called "M6ningite toudroyante'"
where the patient apparently IN the full enjoy.
meat of health, is struck with the rapldity OF
lightning and dies within 1874 hours or still
quicker. Other cases have shown a tendency
to ~protract, and when time is gained much IS
gained. Sometimes I have seen the cases pre-
oeded by a strong fever, whereupon the patient
has apparently recovered. All of a sudden a
most violent headache has set in and the pa
tient succumbed in less than IL hours. | have
seen a patient with apparently slight suffering
of the whole system, suddenly get headache,
and 4 or 5 hours after he has been covered
with p~rofuse perspiration, without moving or
speaking, and was dead before the day was
over. At other times a sudden strong ague
attacks the patient like a quivering, but no
great fever, and then headache commences;
the patient perhaps improves, but the disease
NAV, vet rarely l believe, blaze up again and
Kill the patient. Or there may be a general
depression with slight fever, pains in the limbs,
or across the loins, possibly a slight degree of
paralysis, or contractiOns of the face, together
with headache.
This is q brief sketch i of the chief forms under
which this disease has manifested itself in this
island. AS a rule, its course, especially In the
beginning, has been tremendously rapid.
Some of the later cases have been of longer du-
ration, and some still last, and there are also
cases on record where the patient has been
saved and got over the disease.
Planters and managers, sick-nurses and other
nersons having to do with these things,
should pay attention to the aoove-named
symptoms and impress on their memory the
features Of the disease. One Of the symptoms
ia CONSTANT, namely Head ache it is never miss
ing it commences generally in the frontal regions
extends further, and is s~rtren1eLy secere. If
the patient lives long enough after the COM
mencement of the attack, he will generally
experience pains in the neck and along the
spiae, with a peculiar stiffness in the muscles,
extending down to the loins. There is
another symptom, which, however, as far as
I know, has not shown itself often in the cases
here. namely Vomiting but, as q rule, pa
tients will always suffer from C0st're"ess and
in some cases pains in the abdomen. When
the patiert finds the headache relieved,
and he commences to feel q little ~livelier,
if he had been drowsy before, or more COM
posed, if he had been excited before,-tbere
NAV be considered signs of a favourable
turn. The state of the pulse must, OF course,
also be noticed. Unfavourable signs are com
plete sleepIessness, or the reverse, constant
drowsinsss coma, commissions or paralysis,
high temperature of the skin, or sudden
Of this, with a small, quick pulse,
together with profuse sweating. 1t must al
wsvs be borne in mind that the period OF
convalescence is of long duration 1t takes
some time before the patient can regain
his strength often a tendency to headache
perhaps even a slight Deafness or
an impaired memory but the same per-
son is never attacked twice.
As to what Laymen may do In the
Treatment of the disease, previous to the
arrival of a physician In my opinion the
following remedies may be used: The pa
tient should at once be carried nome or
brought under shelter the room must be kept
cool and airy; the patient kept q@1et; only
the most necessary number of persons to
assist should be allowed to be in the same room;
blood should be taken, either by cupping on
the neck or by leeches; cold applications on
the head, which must be frequently renewed;
q strong dose of ONE purgative medicine
should be given, and a large mustard plaster
applied to the back or the abdomen, and allow
ad to remain at least half an hour. If the
c.Gant ho vary drowsv. ne should have a warm