The Portland daily press., 1878-10-04
Popular Science Monthly for October ]
SYmptOms of Yellow Fever.

An attack of yellow fever is is generally quite
sudden, though in some cases there are slight
premontory symptoms, such as loss of appe-
tite, general uneasiness, headache, or costive-
ness. 1t ia commonly ushared in by chlliness,
alternating with flushes of heat, or the oerson
may be overcome with languor and extreme
debility, while at his usual occupation. These
feelings are soon followed by fever, and the
bodily temperature rises rapidly, often reaching
1O2 1-2 degrees Fahr. in few hours, the nor
NAL temperature being SO degrees. The fever
is accompanied by headache, generally located
Immediately over the eyes or shooting through
from the temple, often very severe. But the
headache is comparatively trivial in compari-
son with the frightful PAIN in the loins, which
makes the patient writhe in agony. The pulse
is generally full, strong and rapid, beating from
ninety to hundred and twenty times a miu-
ute. Ths skin is hot and dry, the eyes blood
shot brilliant and waterg, and the tongue COW
cred with creamy white fur, but with red,
clean tip and edges. There is usually some uu-
easiness OF the stomach from the first, and in
from twelve to twenty-four hours this develops
into nausea and persistent sensitiveness which
will not allow anything to be retained The
pit OF the stomach is very tender on pressure
aud vomiting is almost incessant With ali
TINS there IS an intense thirst and iced drinks
are exceedingly grateful to the patient. The
bowels are at first generally costye aud some
times oost1nateiy so, but as the disease pro-
crosses they become loose. The patient is
usually very much 6ebihtated but is uneasy
and tosses about in bed, and occasionally will
try to rise and walk about the room La most
cases there is some Confusion of intellect not
amounting to derum, and the face expresses
| the greatest anxiety aud distress. The fever
| continues for two or three days. being most
severe ln the evening, the temperature often
reaching 104 or 105 degrees. and according to
La Roche, IN malignant cases even 1I0 degrees
Ihen the fever subsidies, never to return, and
the temperature within twelve hours NAV be-
come nearly normal The other symptoms
mostly disappear and the organs resume their
natural functions. At this time, i. O., the
tnird OF fourth day, the yellow dlscolOration
| OF the skin appears upon the face and thence
| extends over the body. If the attack is mild
| the recovery Is now rapid In the vast maiori-
" OF cases, no oweVer, this lull in the symptoms
is deceitful, and lasts only from few hours to
| day, when the gravest stage of the disease sets
in. The pulse soon becomes small aud thready.
beating only thirty or forty to the minute aud
the heart often works vigorously after the
puls- can no longer be felt at ths wrist The
| nausea and vomiting return aud become con-
stant, the respiration is often embarrassed, the
| tongue becomes dry and orown, the skin is cool
| and dry, there IS often a distressing hlccough.
| aud the thirst Is Unsuitable. Tue miod is of zen
| clear but singaarly apAthetic, IT there may be
delirium or stuOor. The dlsorgauiz aeion of the
| tissues has now gone so far that the small yes-
| sells OF the mucu0uS membranes no longer re-
| tain their coutents, aad blood oOzes into the
| stom ach. This produces intense nausea and
| the blood is vomred up, changed in color by
| the ACIDS with which it is mlOgled. This forms
| the dreadful sol .ck vomit," aod varies in hue
| trom brown to almost jet black generally appear
| lug Ike cotfre-grou dds hoati og n thin watery
| huld. Tue urIne, which becomes scauty early
| In the disease may now b. euGrely suppressed
| or if excreted at all is black and bloody. The
| dlscolorsnon of the SKIN increases until the
| body is OF dusky brown, lyld or mahogany
| color, and there are fr9quent 'morrhages from
| the mouth, nose, eyes even under the skin
| forming livid spots and blotches. The body
| now exhales ca iaverous odor, the tendons of
| tbs wrist rwitch convulsvely, 0iccough is coa-
| STINT, the features are pincned aud ghastly,
cold sweats come on and the patient passes
away IN convulslons or coma, though OCCASION
ally he retains his intellectual faculties uaim-
paired TO the last.