this desperate state I immediately bled him about six ounces, gave him a purge, and ordered saline mixture. He was also repeatedly sponged, and warm fomentations were frequently applied to the throat. Next morning he was rather better; pain of the head had subsided, and he had not been delirious during the night; had had no stool; the purge was therefore repeated; and as he now refused every kind, of medicine, he was allowed toast and water only, the sponging and poulticing being continued. He had a motion towards evening. His neck, breast, and arms began now to vesicate, and on the following day these parts seemed as if they had been covered with cantharides. These vesicles began to disappear about the 8th day of the eruption, when the cuticle fell off in large pieces; after which he soon became cónvalescent, and no dropsical symptoms appeared.

Case II. Downs, ætat. 11. This boy had been ill for several days before I saw him. He now complained of great pain of the head, and sore throat, (the scarlet eruption had appeared and disappeared several times during the last three days) anorexia, and considerable fever. I bled him about seven ounces, which gave the head great relief. He also took cooling medicine. On calling the next day, he was free from all complaint, and had gone out of doors.

Case III. F. Web, ætat. 14, was attacked with the disease some days before I visited her. Her fever was very high, body covered with the eruption, throat much affected, bowels open. Bleeding was now proposed, but not acceded to; she was therefore sponged as usual, took saline mixture plentifully, and had the throat poulticed. On the fifth day of the discase she became much worse, being quite delirious and rather comatose, the eruption still out, very full, and great pain of the head, &c. In this state she was bled about seven ounces, after which she became much better, and the delirium did not again recur. The ablution and medicine were continued for a few days, when she became convalescent. Slight oedema succeeded.*

Case IV. Maria Peak, ætat. 15, was seized on the 6th of September. The following day she took an emetic and purge which operated well. She gradually became worse till the 'ninth, when she was bled, sponged, &c. At this time the eruption was very full, the throat considerably swelled, scarcely admitting any drink, great pain of the head. Next morning she was very little better, and towards evening ap

N. B. This girl remained for several days in the utmost danger. (No. 144.)

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peared

peared to be sinking fast. She was now ordered a cordial and stimulating draught. This evidently increased every symptom, and was not, therefore, repeated. She was now kept to the strictest antiphlogistic remedies. The neck was blistered and afterwards repeatedly poulticed, and the inhaler frequently used. Epistaxis occurred towards night. This and the copious discharge of saliva seemed the only favourable symptoms. The putrid smell was now almost insupportable. Nothing could be swallowed for the two last days. Our remedies were all therefore external, viz. fomen tations, blisters, inhalations, and ablutions, &c. By these means only was she, at length, rescued from the arms of death. Her convalescence was, however, much retarded by a large abscess formed on the neck. This was one of the most desperate cases conceivable, she being for ten days al most in articulo mortis, during which time the putrid odour could scarcely be kept under by continued fumigations, &c.

Case V. Sarah Barrel, ætat. 15. The only material dif "ference in this case from the last, was, that she remained quite delirious for seven days, being often with great diffi culty retained in bed. The head had been thrice blistered, and sinapisms were applied to the feet. Neither food nor medicine were swallowed for the greater part of the time. She was allowed weak wine and water when convalescent. Epistaxis occurred after the bleeding, and the salivary see eretion was copious. No hydropic symptoms succeeded. Cases in which Phlebotomy appeared to check the Progress of the Disease when early adopted.

Charlotte Peak, ætat. 13, sister to the subject of Case IV, was attacked on the 14th of September, and the disease fast advancing, the greatest danger was to be feared. She lost about seven ounces of blood, and took an active purge when the eruption began first to appear. She was delirious on the second night of the attack, but every symptom specdily disappeared after the venesection and operation of the purge, when she was no longer indisposed.

Case II. Manning, ætat. 14, was on a visit, and the fever being in the neighbourhood, she caught the disease. I saw her next morning, when she complained of much pain of the head, sore throat, no appetite, pulse rapid, very thirsty, face flushed. She was now bled about eight ounces, took a purge, was sponged as usual, and ordered saline mixture and barley water. Next day she was nearly well, appetite good, and no particular complaint. In the evening she was so well as to return home.

Case

Case III. Mrs. Collier was attacked with the disease in the usual manner; had great pain of the head, sore throat, and cold shiverings, &c. She was immediately bled between eight and ten ounces, and afterwards purged and sponged, &c. Next morning the body was covered with spots as large as a crown-piece. Towards evening she left her bed, and was quite recovered on the succeeding day.

Case IV. Eliz. Right, ætat. 15, returned from a visit on the 2d of November, when her sister lay bad under the complaint. She was attacked on the 12th with sickness and vomiting, pains of the joints, sore throat, much pain of the head, and great thirst, &c. She was now bled about six ounces, sponged, and took saline medicine. In the evening I was agreeably surprised to find her sitting at the fire, being nearly well, No eruption appeared, the throat better, and the appetite good. Next day she became quite well. Cases shewing the comparative Success of each Method of

Treatment.

A family of the name of Porter, residing at Westerfield Green, was attacked with the disease. It consisted of five children, the eldest of whom was about thirteen, and the youngest near two years.

James was seized on Wednesday, I saw him on Thursday evening, when I learned he had taken an emetic, which both purged and vomited him. He was allowed toast and water, and had a blister for the neck. Some days after he began to recover, but did not leave his bed for seven or eight days.

The eldest was taken on Friday night. Saturday morning she took a purge of rhubarb, which also vomited her; she drank freely of toast and water, &c. and in the night became delirious. Sunday morning the fever was very high, and about twelve o'clock she became stupid and comatose. Cam phor, aromat. conf.* and wine were ordered, and she conti nued till towards morning in a similar state, when she expired.

The second boy was seized some days after. He was also purged, and had vomited likewise. The eruption was full, and the throat slightly affected; on the fourth day he be came delirious and comatose. He was now ordered campho rated julep, with aromatic confection, and wine. This plan he continued for several days without any apparent benefit. The delirium and stupor continuing, he died on the eleventh

* Local circumstances, not design, prevented the adoption of means here, which might have saved her.

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day

day of the disease. His smell was so bad for some days previous to his decease, as to be almost insupportable.

The two younger children took the disease at the same time, but had it slightly, and were therefore chiefly left to nature. Their convalescence was, however, very tedious.

A family of the name of Barrel, in the parish of Bramford, caught the disease. This family consisted of six children, the eldest aged seventeen, the youngest about one.

Charlotte, aged five, had it first, and was treated with the strictest antiphlogistic regimen, and, notwithstanding she had been delirious, she soon recovered.

At this time the three eldest were taken, viz. Betty, aged seventeen, Sarah, fifteen, and Jane, eleven years. They all lay in a small lower room, very little larger than what the bed occupied. Two, and for the most part three were in the bed, and one on a sofa. They were all seized with sickness, vomiting, and purging. Sarah became delirious, face flushed, eyes vacant, and the adnata covered with blood-vessels, great pain of the head, &c. This was on the second day of the disease. She was now bled about six ounces, had a blister applied to the nape of the neck, was repeatedly sponged, and drank saline mixture and aq. ammon. acetat. The throat being much affected, was continually poulticed. The delirium and stupor continuing, both temples were blistered, and sinapisms applied to the feet. Persisting in this plan for some days, she became convalescent, and was now allowed some wine. No hydropic symptoms succeeded, and she recovered remarkably fast. Betty and Jane continued to vo mit and purge for two days, when it was judged prudent to check this by a small dose of opium. They drank saline mixture plentifully, and were repeatedly sponged. Jane began first to recover. Betty became delirious; a large blister was now applied to the nape of the neck and temples. The throat was often fomented, and the inhaler frequently used. By these means the delirium soon subsided, and the eruption beginning to desquamate, she became convalescent. At this period Mary, aged nine years, was seized in the same violent manner, soon becoming delirious. She was actively purged, vomited, sponged, &c. and allowed the saline mix ture as usual. Soon after this she recovered. The young child escaped the disease.

N. B. These five were all confined in the above small apartment, pot only three, but often four lying in the same bed. The disease attacked with the greatest violence, in ducing delirium, a wild countenance, and almost complete loss of strength in the course of the second and third day. A respectable medical gentleman in the neighbourhood, having

visited

visited them, pronounced the approaching dissolution of three. They were attended with the greatest care, and the plan pushed to its utmost extreme.

To each of these heads might be added, a numerous list. of examples, but considering these sufficiently indicative of the success of this treatment, I refrain from occupying more of your useful miscellany.

I remain, Sir, Yours, &c.

W. H.*

Ipswich, December 5, 1810.

To the Editors of the Medical and Physical Journal.

GENTLEMEN,

HAVING read a criticism of Dr. Harrison's " Address to the Lincolnshire Benevolent Medical Society" in your last Number, I beg leave, through the same channel, to offer a few remarks upon a subject vitally interesting to the Faculty, and their patients. I do it the more readily, because you have liberally offered to make your valuable Journal the medium of any temperate observations, whether they be favourable to reform or otherwise. There is every reason to expect, as I have repeatedly heard in conversation, that the bill, of which a copious abstract is printed, with Dr. H.'s address, will under certain modifications be presented to the legislature early in the ensuing Session of Parliament, and therefore, it behoves every practitioner, anxious for the honour of his art, and the public weal in what relates to it, to examine the bill and address, which includes a comment upon the bill, dispassionately and without pre-conceived notions. Let him in so doing weigh rather what is practicable in reform, than what he himself conceives to be most de sirable or agreeable to his private interests.

The reviewer of Dr. Harrison's work observes," it ap pears to us, that he (the Dr.) has attempted to lop some mis shapen branches of an old tree, whilst he feared to apply the axe to the decayed trunk." A commentator on the same work, in another Medical Journal, cries out," that the rusty musty corporations must be destroyed." Without offering any opinion of my own on this delicate affair, I think

* We are requested to state that this communication, as well as, the case of puerperal Fever in No. 138, the case of diseased Bladder in No. 140, and the Report of the Walcheren Fever, in the last number of our Journal, were written by W. Hamilton, Surgeon, Ipswich, and not by Dr. W. Hamilton. EDITOR.

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