St. Landry democrat., 1878-08-10
Yellow Fever.

ana It's proper tItatiHent, WHICH me
with the approval OF the best physicians
DR.. Schmidt, president OF the Howar
Association. had several hundred copie
of the article struck off and sent up t
New Iberia to be distributed among til
people, where the fever ragged with grea
virulence at that time. Hearing tina
. the disease has again made its appear
ance in our midst, propose TO publis
few suggestions which may be bene
fetal to unacclimated persons. In al
my experiences with yellow fever,
have never known a case that did no
Weld to proper treatment. although
have heard some physicians express
contrary opinion. Whenever Il person
dies with what is thought to be one o
TWO days illness, the patient must hav,
had the fever in his system for days il
a latent form. This form is the mos
dangerous because it comes unaWares
and, therefore, is not apt to be attended
to in time. Every ulacclimated per
SOD is liable to take yellow fever here
during the summer or fall months
Sometimes it comes earlier than others;
one can never feel secure until after
frost 1t is useless to say there is NJ
yellow fever here; and we must not
think about it; that We are not going
70 have it, and all that. The best way
TO overcome an enemy is to be prepared
| to meet hlnl.
Asa preventive, we should not in
,lutgc too much in cold bathing, as that
is apt to check persplratlon and drive1n
the heat. The sponge bath is sufficient.
! We must try to avoid being caught out
IN the rain and III lowing our clothes to
get wet for the same reason.
W., .I,ul1 live rap,1,,,.lv tnIrn rau :
SDnanI&, exercise, not go too much in
/ ,Itc sun, and do nothing to overleat the
blood. With these precautions we may
,,cape it altogether. But it lt should
come, We mast meet it cour& &geOusiy,
5,ucrinG ktllctly TO the following d.
.,,tuns, and, with the help OF God, we
Niii overcome it in every instance.
SYMPTOMS.
Chilly sensations, pains in the bones,
headache, pains in the back and knees,
joints, SOMETIMES sickness Of the stOm-
;tch and vomiting. When the fever
shows itself the skin becomes dry and
hot, the pulse quick and full, the face
red and flushed, the eyeballs become
red and painful. 1t not attended to i'm
mcdiately, the fever goes to the brain
and the patient becomes deliriOus.
TREATMENT.
Whenever amy of the above symptoms
are apparent, let the patient be undfessed
and put III bed between blankets. Give
Il simple dose OF medicine, either castor
oil OF Il bottle of citrate of magnesia.
The latter is more agreeable to take,
and more cooling to the blood. Get
FOOT bath that will hold at least bucket
yf f,,i g h<,S
into it nearly d cupful of mustard. Put
the foot tub on the bed under the blan-
kets, let the feet of the patient remain
in this bath fully half an hour, keeping
the blankets we'll tucked in around the
patient, keep the hands under the cover,
let the blankets be well tucked in around |
the neck. 1t the head aches very badly |
apply cold cloth to the forehead. When |
the foot tub is withdrawn do not stop
to wipe the feet, but cover up as closely |
ls possible so as TO produce perspiratiOn. |
Let the foot bath be repeated while the |
pains remain in the bones.
Ihe room need not be kept too close,
lln the contrary, it's better to have
.resh air for tho patient to breathe. |
But DO not leC the draft come OH the
patient, SO as to check the perspiration,
which must be kept up while the fever
asts. The patient must not be allowed
o get out of bed, sit UP, or change bis
,lothes, or take any kind Of food. His
rink must be small quantities of ice
water, Ice lemonade, or orange leaf tea.
Eile latter is an excellent sud0rifc. Ice
rushed III towel can be given in small
Iuantitles-thls is very cooling to the
tomach. BY all means keep the patient
'ertectly quiet and free from all kinds
i excitement. He must not be allowed
o become depressed The nurse must
re intelligent, cheerful, and not talka-
i've.
There should be no one allowed in the
Dom but the nurse, and she should
ever, 1t possible, be absent from the
ea side, even for moment. Il there
ho4ei'lpse, the fever Is apt to leave
he patient i'll 72 hours, but should it
0ntlnue longer there Is no occasion for
lhrm, Tor during the whole epidemic
f 81 | have known the fever to last
our or tive days without abatng and
he patient recovered. Great care must ,
g taken to keep up a gentle perspira-
on during the continuance of the fever, I
AS soon as the fever leaves, il the ,,
atient should feel too faint or weak,
It u teaspoonful of good brandy or
'hlsky be given in the same quantity | {
t ice-water with a little white sugar, :
'oul time to time. Should sickness OF !
1t stomach appear, a mustard plaster G
lust be applied to the chest to prevent z
The feet and legs are apt to 1
Z cold; these must be rubbed with dry la
lustard, and long woolen stockings q
ut on. E1
NOURISHMENT s.F.,~. i
ust be given in very small Quantities, J
nd OF the very lightest kind-say a t
'uple OF teaspoonfuls of barley water, t
ce or corn meal cruel, at intervals Of :
VO hours, or whatever the stomach =
ay be able to bear during the firstt C
ny, counting from the time the fever 0
aves. The next day a little chicken ?
10Th or beef tea can be given. After +
ards tea and toast and a little broiled In
llcken, or o couple Of fresh oysters, If p
should be the season for them. II
On no account should the patient be
lowed to eat strong or indigestible y
od, as more deaths occur from this I
use, and leaving the bed too soon, c.
an almost any other. sam "A To
The great. trouble is in convincing o
g patient that he must stay in bed for e
me days after he thinks he lis we'll. / y
ten persons thought themselves per- K
city well, and only committed the g.
lall lmprndence of walking across tile q
ON to look out of the window and -
naming up but q short time, died in D
few hours, Others feeling themselves j
tlrely recovered, being excessively :,
ngry, ate hearty meal and died in q
Q or three hours after. About the al