66 ACCOUNT of a DISTEMPER 



cafes where the tumefactions of the tefticles fuddenly fubfide, 

 and the brain becomes affetSed. I never had occafion to try 

 this ; but I am fo convinced, that, in cafes of this kind, (where 

 there is generally danger), it would be of the greateft advan- 

 tage, tliat I fliould not hefitate a moment in covering the whole 

 fcrotum with a blifter, or rather a bliftering cataplafm, as foon 

 as the lead fymptom of the head's becoming difordered appear- 

 ed, with a view to recal (if I may ufe the exprefTion) the dif- 

 eafe from the brain to the tefticles, whilft, to relieve the latter, 

 epifpaftics fhould, at the fame time, be fully employed over the 

 tumefied fall vary glands. 



As the patients were generally relieved by a fpontaneous 

 fweating in bed, diaphoretics of fpiritus mindereri, l^c. with 

 warm drinks, afTifted to keep up the difcharge for a day or two, 

 and the diftemper was foon at an end. If, about the third 

 day, the tefticles began to fwell, without any remarkable in- 

 creafe of fever, the fame method relieved them. But, if this 

 was accompanied with a low running quick pulfe, and reftlefs- 

 nefs or anxiety, more epifpaftics were applied, and the vis vitse 

 •kept up by neurotic cordials, befide fudorifics, with a necelTary 

 proportion of the beft of all cordials, wine, and a plentiful 

 fweating was encouraged. The medicines employed were va- 

 rious, according to circumftances ; and were compofed of cam- 

 phire, volatile alcali, fp. mindereri, vin. antimonial. decode, fer- 

 pentar. Sifc. with a requifite proportion of opium to abate the 

 reftlefsnefs. The tumefied tefticles were fufpended in a bag- 

 trufs ', the colon was emptied by clyfters, if the patients were 

 coftive ; and, with this treatment, the patients generally got 

 well about the fixth, feventh or eighth day. 



It is requifite here to obferve, that although the parts afFedl- 

 ed were kept warm, and the body covered fo as to encourage a 

 difcharge from the fkin, it was necefiary that the lungs fhould 

 have a frequent fupply of cool frelh air ; for which purpofe, 



the 



