The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-10-06
The Physician.

The Causes OF Iyphold fc'cr III
Massachusetts" published III the sec:
ond annual report Of tho State board
Of health Of Massachusetts
\ young butcher, between twenty
and thirty years Of aye, was attacked
with typhoid fever. He was a bach
clor. and occupied a good-sized cham
Der lighted by two windows and hay
ing an open fireplace.
The fever was mild. with daily feb
rlc ccrcbralion, hot skin, thirst, slight
diarrhca and rose spots, with no vlo-
lent symptoms. There was no lndlca'
ton for Drugs. lie was bathcd two
or three times day with tepld wa
ter. and was allowed water freely,
iced or not. according TO his taste.
TIE covering Of his body was regula,
ted by his sensations. a slight WOOD
fire, Just enough to insure ventilation
was kept in the fireplace, and one OF
the windows was raised little.
As soon as his family who lived in
the country, heard Of his illccSs, two
Of them. maiden aunt and a sister,
came to the city TO take care OF INN.
They reached the honsc one after
noon lust after my visit. My patient
was, rs described above, comfortably
sick, with pulse about eighty, and
without dclirium. They were fright
crcd to find their relative, who was
sick with typhoid fever, so poorly
cared for. Guided by their theory OF
the proper treatment Of fever, they
proceeded, without informing me, to
reform matters.
They pinned blanket over each
window. 50 as to exclude the light,
and closed tho open window they
closed the chimney with u fircboard
anu set up an air-tight stove, in which
they made fire. In order to make
him sweat he WAS packed in blankets
and hot herb tea was given him.
When called tho next day | found
his room dark and filed with hot foul
atmosphere. The odor was OF that
offensive sort the sick chambers are
TOO often charged with. But the
great change was in the sick man,
whom had left 80 comfortable the
day before. He was wrapped in blan
kris, his skin was dry. his lips crack
ed, his eve vild, his pulse l2O, and he
was 50 restless and delirious that it
,.o. nj, his attendants could do to
keep him in bed.
His aunt said she came TO nurse
her nephew, and had found him with
omen windows, exposed to noise and
currents Of air; drinking cold water
freely rs he chose, and taking no med
icinc. These evils she had cndeavor-
ed to remedy, but in spite OF all her
efforts hc had rappidly grown
worse.
The physician states his conversa-
ton with his aunt and HE refusal.
The windows were opened, the stove
WAS removed, q fire made in the chin
ncy and the blankets were taken from
the patient. lie goes on to sag:
i gave the sick man u tumb'er OF,
water, which he drank as if he qucnch-
inr an eternal fire. AL this they boro
in silence, but when called fora large
tub and made preparation for bath,
they demonstrated, and declared a.
cold bath would kill him. Rcmon.
stranccs, however was unaVallIng,
aud my patient got Il cool effusion by
pouring water all over him. He was
then put to bed, tightly covered, and
soon went to sleep. BY night hiSI
had = catIy improved, and
the next day, twenty-four ours later,
his fever assumed It's previous mild
type. his pulse wss about eighty and
his head loIcrably clear. lie made
a satisfactory eonvalcsccnt.
The Gaze just related is fair spec
linen Of common malpractice, oc-
curing every day, hut escaping no
ticp because the efforts Of carbonIci
acid poisoning arc not brought out in
bold relief.