BOTANIC PHYSICIAN. 
dered as soon as possible. If signs of inflammation or swel- 
ling appear about the womb, the “‘ anodyne wash” should be applied 
eely over the part, together with draughts to the feet. 
- During the rigor, or cold fit, proper means should be used to abate 
its violence, and shorten its duration.. For this purpose the patient 
may drink warm teas, together with a moderate quantity of the fever 
_ powders, and if low, may take now and then a cup of winewhey ; 
warm applications to the extremities may be used with advantage. 
~ Emollient clysters ought to be frequently administered through 
the course of the disease.. These prove beneficial by promoting @ 
_ discharge from the intestines, and also by acting kindly as a fomen- 
‘tation to the womb and adjacent parts. To evacuate the offending 
bile from the stomach, gentle laxatives may be used, as vomits are 
too irritating. The medicine which I have always found to succeed 
best in. this disease, is the mixture of sal wratus and rhubarb. This, 
—s y repeated, will often put a stop to the vomiting, and at 
le same time lessen the violence of the fever. If it runs off by 
r if the patient be restless, a few drops of laudanum may 0c- 
sionally be added. ! 
~ If the stools should prove so frequent as to weaken and exhaust 
the patient, a starch clyster, with thirty or forty drops of Jaudanum ~ 
in it, may be administered as occasion shall require, and_ the drink 
may be spice bush bark tea, and the like. Should these be insufli- 
cient, recourse must be had to tonics, as colombo root, &c. é 
_ Though in general the food ought to be light, yet if the patient 1s 
greatly weakened, she must be supported with nourishing diet, and 
generous drinks. When the stomach will not bear any kind of nou- 
rishment, the patient may be supported, for some time by clysters of 
beef-tea or chicken-broth. —e 
avoid this fever, every woman in child-bed ought -to.be kept 
fectly easy ; her food should be light and simple, and her -bed- 
amber cool and properly ventilated. There is not any thing more 
_ hurtful to a woman in this situation, than being kept too warm. She 
x not to have her body bound too tight, nor rise too soon after 
_ delivery ; catching cold is also to be avoided ; and a proper atten- 
tion paid to cleanliness. 
j 
a 
__ Mitx rryer.—To prevent the milk fever, the breasts ought to be’ 
_ frequently drawn; and if they are filled previous to the onset of a 
fever; they should upon its first appearance be drawn, to prevent the: — 
milk from becoming acrid, and its being absorbed in this state. Cos* 
_ liveness is likewise to be avoided. This will be best effected by the 
use of mild clysters and a laxative diet.  «peedies 
ile shall conclude our observations on child-bed women, by Fe- 
commending it to them, above all things, to beware of cold. Poor 
‘women, whose circumstances oblige them to quit their bed soon, 
should be particularly careful fora time. The better sort of women,” 
however, run the greatest hazard, from. over-nursing and too much 
heat. They are generally kept in a sort of bagnio for eight or te! 
days, and then dressed out to see company. The danger of this 
conduct must be obvious to everyone. Public places, and church 
should not be the first place of resort after confinement. : > 
