The store-house of physical practice being a general treatise of the causes and signs of all diseases afflicting human bodies : together with the shortest, plainest and safest way of curing them, by method, medicine and diet : to which is added, for the benefit of young practicers, several choice forms of medicines used by the London physicians / by John Pechey ...

CHAP. CXXIV. Of the various Forms and Shapes of inter∣mitting Fevers.

THese Fevers often resemble most other Diseases, and such as are most acute, yet they yield to the Peru∣vian Bark, and if the Bark is not given, they often be∣come deadly. Sometimes they come with great Shiver∣ing and with violent Vomiting, a Loosness with Gripes, the Cholera Morbus, the Colick of the Stomach, a peri∣odical Hemicrania, Apoplexy, fainting Rheumatism, general Convulsions, Phrensie, Peripnumonia, and the like.

Mr. Amblar, dwelling at Mile-end, a Man of Fifty years of Age, that was lean and sickly, was often be∣fore subject upon slight occasions, to an obstinate Ague, accompanied with violent Symptoms, but in the Year, 1690, having taken a great Cold, he was suddenly taken with Shaking and Shivering, which was succeed∣ed by an universal Chilness, during which, his Pulse could scarce be felt; he was also violently afflicted with Vomiting, a Loosness, and with a horrid oppression and Sickness: I visited him the next Morning, and found his Face plainly Hippocratick; his whole Body was cold as clay, and a Dew upon it, the Skin looked black, by reason of the congelation of the Blood, his strength

was almost spent by the perpetual Sickness, and the e∣vacuation of divers coloured Choler by Vomit, and stinking white Excrement by Stool, of the consistence of a Cream; all things shewed that Death was approach∣ing, for the vital principal, or the animal Spirits, was so oppressed by the Venom, that there was no hope that they cou'd expand themselves: But to blunt the malig∣nant acrimony of the Humours, I ordered that he should drink Chicken-broath plentifully, and that it should be injected through a Syringe into the Anus, I also order∣ed that the Stomach should be well fomented with Aro∣matick Bags made hot, and a very cordial Bolus, with as much Laudanum in it as the strength of the Patient would bear, was given with a draught of a Cordial, and alexipharmick Julep, every fourth hour. After the third or fourth Bolus, I perceived the Pulse was much stronger, and the blackness of the skin went off, and heat returned to the extream Parts, and the evacuations were something suppressed, the colliquative Sweat was diminished, and he was more quiet, he slept a little, and was not so sick after he waked. After this remis∣sion of the Symptoms, I endeavoured to remove the Ve∣nom, by giving the Jesuits Powder mixed with Lauda∣num in the form of a Draught, every fourth hour, know∣ing well that the Sick could not bear a second Fit; but before the third Dose of the Powder, the Fit returned again unexpectedly, accompanied with the former dread∣ful Symptoms, and the poor Man died within the space of twenty four Hours.

I was called to one Mrs. Baker, an ancient Woman dwelling in Fleet-street, I found her oppressed with con∣tinual Sickness and Vomiting, and so she had been for four days: She presently vomited up all she took; she fainted often, her Pulse was quick and Weak; but her temper by reason of faintness and perpetual sick∣ness, was moderate, and in some sort cold, her Urine looked in a manner well, she could not rest, and was almost delirious, but she complained only of Nauseous∣ness and Vomiting. Having enquired carefully about every thing, I was told that this Woman had been sick six Weeks, that she was hot and cold by turns, the periods were uncertain, and that she was troubed with

a Nauseousness and Vomiting frequently. After I had prescribed a Cordial, Bolus, and Julep, and Chicken-broath for her ordinary Drink, I ordered a Julep made of Salt of Worm-wood and juice of Limons, to be taken by Spoonfuls, to comfort her Stomach; afterward I or∣dered the Peruvian Bark should be given freely in the form of a Draught and of a Tincture, adding twice or thrice a day ten or twelve drops of liquid Laudanum, upon the account of the violence of the Vomiting, and in a days time the Sickness and Vomiting were lessened, and critical white Aphtha covered the whole Mouth, the Urine was very red, and other signs of the expansion of the Spirits, and of the feverish heat were present, and soon after a tertian Ague appeared in its proper form, the cold, heat and sweat succeeding one another alter∣nately, and after two Fits, the Sick was cured by the Bark.