Nine books of physick and chirurgery written by that great and learned physitian, Dr Sennertus. The first five being his Institutions of the whole body of physick: the other four of fevers and agues: with their differences, signs, and cures.

CHAP. XV. Of a continued Quartane.

LAstly a continued Quartane is a Fever, * 1.1 whose heat is in∣deed continued, yet the fourth day 'tis exasperated, it pro∣ceeds from melancholy mixed with blood putrifying in the vena cava.

The cause is a melancholy humour putrefying in the vena ca∣va, * 1.2 hence all things that can generate melancholy and crowd it into the vena cava, and putresie, are the causes of this Fever.

It is known by its continued heat, * 1.3 raging the fourth day, without trembling fear or shaking fits going before, or sweats following afterwards, the pulse in the beginning is small and slow, afterwards great, full, and swifter then in an intermitting Fever, wherein 'tis most intended in the height.

This is the rarest of all Fevers, * 1.4 but dangerous and far more desperate then a continued Quartane, and debilitates nature ex∣ceedingly; it lasteth till the fourtieth day oftentimes, and be∣yond it.

Most part of the cure is the same with that of a continued Quartane, * 1.5 and because the humour, the cause of the Fever is contained in the vena cava, and there mixed with the blood in the beginning, those things that open the first passages being first exhibited, a vein is to be opened, afterwards phlegm is to be concocted and evacuated. Yet you should heat and attenuate more sparingly then in intermittent Fevers, but to moisten more and adde those things which may allay the heat of the putri∣fying humours, such as are in other cases convenient against choller.

The humour being prepared, purging is to be used, and a purge should be given the next day after the fit, which at first

should be given the next day after the fit; which at first should be gentle, but if nature order no Crisis, stronger may afterwards be given, Diureticks and Sudorifiques may also be given after concoction, but such as are not so hot, and those given in inter∣mittent Fevers; and when the strength is much debilitated confortatives are to be exhibited, prepared of Burrage, Bugloss, Balm, flowers of Rosemary, Gilliflowers, Confection of Al∣kerms, and such like.

Such Diet is to be appointed as in intermittent Quartanes, * 1.6 yet the diet should be thinner and cool more then in intermittent Fevers, since that the heat is greater and the height neerer the use of the smaller sort of wine, although it may be allowed, yet it must be taken more sparingly then in intermittents, and if the heat be greater, wholly abstain from wine.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A conti∣nued quar∣tan.
• * 1.2

  The cause.
• * 1.3

  the Diag∣nosticks.
• * 1.4

  ••••ogno∣sticks.
• * 1.5

  Cure.
• * 1.6

  Diet.