A treatise of the small-pox and measles describing their nature, causes, and signs, diagnostick and prognostick, in a different way to what hath hitherto been known : together, with the method of curing the said distempers, and all, or most, of the best remedies : also, a particular discourse of opium, diacodium, and other sleeping medicines : with a reference to a very great case / by Gideon Harvey ...

CHAP. XIV. The signs of a variolous Putrid Fever.

1. THE signs of a putrid con∣tinual Fever, and sympto∣matick of the Small-pox, are almost the same with those of an essential, excepting that the febril symptoms in the Small-pox come many in a crowd together, which in the other do arrive gradually; besides, the Urin for the most part from the be∣ginning appears thick and red, like that in an intermittent Tertian, and continues so without much variation for the most part of the time, until the Small-pox begin to dry, and then there begins to be a separation of a white sediment, and the Urin grows paler. Likewise the Pulse of the very beginning is strait, low, quick, and very uneven; the Coun∣tenance of the Patient looks wild. The Small-pox doth most commonly

seize persons that are grown up, upon change of Air, frequent De∣bauches, immoderate Eating, upon a great Cold of a long continuance; also by a fright or fancy, by seeing any that had the Small pox lately, the spirits in a fright, or strong ima∣gination attracting the infectious Air, that such expire, or hangs about their Cloaths; usually the Head be∣gins to ake first, with a weight and drowsiness; then they are oft hot and cold, pale and high-colour'd suc∣cessively on a sudden. Afterwards they are taken also on a sudden with a violent shivering and shaking, which causeth them to take their Bed; where, after some small time they grow very hot, and burning, and high-colour'd, their Face appear∣ing then bloated and swell'd, their Eyes sore with distention, complain of a sickness at their Stomach, great oppression at their Heart; sometimes they vomit, others do not vomit; their Tongue is dry and red; they

have a great drought, their breath∣ing very thick and short; those that are plethorick have a Cough, and spit much, some do not spit; they are apt to be suddenly hoarse, and continue so; they complain much more of faintness in this Fever, than in an essential one, and sigh much; some grow light-headed on the third or fourth night. The days of the eruption of the Small-pox in Men or Women are much the same as were mentioned in the preceding Paragraph.

2. About the eleventh day the Small-pox are commonly (not al∣ways) at the heighth; and at which time the Physicians tell you, that you have a second Fever. No doubt but it's the same Fever, only the heat is much augmented, because then the pimples are turning into mat∣ter, according to Hippocr. Aphor. Dum pus conficitur, &c.

3. After they are come to matter, they scab, and dry in three or four

days, though sometimes they are not all dry in a week; some few of the largest and worst have remained in some three weeks, or longer, before they have been dried.

4. Though most of the before-mensioned signs do accompany the Small-pox before eruption, you must not imagine all do in all persons; for sometimes they fall directly into a burning, without shivering or shaking. These signs, if happening at Spring and Fall, (especially the preceding Winter or summer having proved very rainy) and to those that never had the Small-pox, make the discovery of the Distemper more evi∣dent to you, and much more, if any of the Family have lately had them; or if they have been at any House, where any lay sick of the Small-pox.

5. Those that never had the Small-pox, falling into a sudden loss of strength, frequent faintings, violent headach, a breathing in quickness and shortness almost stiffling, a delirium,

a continual drowsiness, or wakefulness (coma soporosum vel vi∣gil) a very quick, low, and uneven Pulse, and the Urin notwithstanding like to those that are in health, and very frequent reciprocations of being high colour'd and pale, give mani∣fest signs of being seized with a ma∣lign variolous Fever, upon which ve∣ry soon appear a few stragling Small-pox of an ill colour, which are apt as soon to go in again. Hereupon usually happen great tremblings of the Arms and Hands, faltering in their Speeches, Convulsions, &c..