[ 266 j 
[Oct. 1, 
MEDICAL REPORT. | 
ee 
FRNHE last month has not been marked 
by an extraordinary prevalence of any 
‘particular class of diseases. Cases of ge- 
nuine cholera have occurred, but, as noticed 
in a former report, they have been mild 
in their character, and readily controlled by 
medicine. One case, however, to which 
the reporter was hastily summoned, was 
characterized by symptoms resembling those 
of the spasmodic or asphyzic cholera of the 
Exst-Indies. The patient was suddenly 
affected with violent vomiting, immediately 
followed by copious evacuations from the 
bowels, and the most excruciating pain in the 
abdominal region: the pulse became feeble 
and intermitting, the face pallid, and the 
extremities cold ; this state of things, how- 
ever, did not last long, the patient soon 
became better; and, with the exeeption of 
paleness of the face,,.blueness of the lips, 
and a feeling of lassitude, little remained to 
call for medical treatment. 
Diarrhea, with more or less general in- 
disposition, has been of frequent eecurrence. 
Fever continues to prevail; and several 
fatal cases have been reported to the writer. 
Some. cases of continued fever have fallen 
under the care of the writer himself. The 
subject of one of these,.a fine young man, 
twenty-two years of age, was with difficulty 
sayed: to the active treatment adopted in 
the first stages of the disorder, to the youth, 
and unimpaired constitution of the patient, 
is to Se attributed the favourable termination 
of this case. 
During the month, the writer was con- 
sulted in a case of acute hydrocephalus ; 
but too late in the progress of the disease 
to do any good. ‘The remote causes of this 
malady, the reporter ventures to affirm, still 
require to be elucidated. 
Inflammatory affections about the chest’ 
have, since the date of the last report, call- 
ed for the interference of the medical practi- 
tioner. On the invasion of these forms of 
disease, an unhesitating use of the lancet, 
and a rigid adoption of the usual depletory 
methods of treatment, have been indicated 
—these, measures to be perseveringly fol- 
lowed up, till all the evidences of local in- 
flammation have been removed. 
Among children, measles and scarlatina 
-have prevailed, but not extensively. It is 
the. painful duty of the reporter to remark, 
that.cases of small-pox, occurring in subjects 
‘who. have undergone vaccination, have been 
far from infrequent : the attention of medi- 
cal men has been powerfully excited by the 
interesting fact; and the confidence of the 
public in vaccination has been somewhat 
shaken ; but, it is important to know, that 
small-pox so occurring, has, with very few 
exceptions indeed, appeared in a mild and 
mitigated form ; and, that the best informed 
and nrost experienced practitioners, are not 
Jess zealous in their. reeommendations of 
“the Jermerian practice., 
The writer has been lately consulted by 
patients tortured by chronic rheumatism : 
this disease, and many other chronic mala- 
dies, occurring in individuals whose oc- 
cupations are sedentary, might be re- 
moved by the adoption of some system 
of domestic gymnastics. “ When I consider 
the physical structure of man,” said 
Frederic of Prussia, “it appears to me 
that nature had formed us rather for pos- 
tillions than sedentary men of letters.”” It 
is certain that gout, disturbances in the 
digestive function, and apoplexy, are disor- 
ders very seldom experienced by post-boys ; 
although there are modes of exercising the 
body tobe preferred to incessant equitation. 
It is the opinion of the writer, that such 
measures as are practised by those under 
training for running, wrestling, boxing, &c, | 
if imitated in a modified manner by all 
persons, whose avoeations preclude any 
active bodily exertion, would ebyiate the 
attack of diseases, give vigour to the frame, 
and contribute towards a healthiy and happy 
old age. The rationale of training is, by 
pursuing prescribed medes and méasures 
of exercise, to increase the volume and 
tone of the muscular apparatus, and to in- 
duce, generally, a high degree of health. 
In addition. to the exercises, a suitable regi- 
men must be prescribed; the diet must be 
simple, moderate in quantity, but of the _ 
most nutritious kind. The meals must be 
taken regularly, with suitable intervals of 
time between them—early hours are indis- 
pensable, and sufficient sleep must be allow- 
ed. Under such a system, the diseiplinist 
gains flesh; or, if he be too corpulent, un- 
dergoes a reduction of size, compatible with 
his increased labours and exertions. Res- 
piration is performed with more faeility, 
exertions are now made, and fatigue en- 
dured, far beyond the former capabilities: of 
the individual. The functions of tlie sto- 
mach improving, the processes of digestion, 
sanguification, and assimilation, are per- 
formed without any “ let or impediment.’” 
The physical powers become as perfect as. 
the original constitution of the subject 
will admit: the mental functions alse; if 
there be not “ a mind diseased,” will, 
under such a course of discipline, be. found 
to have acquired strength and activity ; 
and the entire man to be better fitted 
for those duties which his station in society 
require him to discharge. j 
JaMEs FYELp. 
Bolt Court, Fieet-street, 
Sept. 24, 1825 
In my former Medieal Report of Bou~- 
logne-sur-Mer, I mentioned the situation of 
the town, and the absence of stagnant 
water, as: tending to prevent. the- origin. of 
any malady peculiar to-its inhabitants, and 
which I had experienced by a residence of 
nearly six years; in practice smonathe Heng: 
ish, 
