self to peripneumony, and the conse- 
guent necessity there was, in such cases, 
for general blood-letting. The com- 
iplaint came on with symptoms of gene+ 
ral fever, which were soon followed by 
headach, cough, and difficult - respira- 
tion ; pain and throbbing of the temples, 
vertigo, and hot and dry skin. {he 
Ise was variable, in. some very quick, 
even to 150 in a minute; in others not 
exceeding 80 or 90.. In one of the worst 
cases which Dr. Falconer saw, it did not 
exceed 70, and in upwards of 100 cases 
which appeared in the general hospital, 
it did not rise above 100. Six only of 
the’cases which occurred in the hospital 
had peripneumonic symptoms, but they 
were much more frequent in private 
practice. Only four persons died in the 
author’s practice, and all of them peri- 
pneumonic ; he had not anopportunity of 
imspecting the appearances on dissection, 
but received the particulars of a case, in 
every respect similar to them, from Dr., 
Broderip, in which there was much 
inflammation in the substance of - the 
lungs, with large adhesions, and consider- 
able extravasations of coagulable lymph. 
Ricwarp Pearson, M.D. pp. 49. 
THE late epidemic is here represent- 
ed as having differed from a common 
cold, in the degree and kind of fever 
with which it was accompanied, and in 
‘the fever, not the catarrhal symptoms, 
constituting the essence of the disease. 
‘From these circumstances, the author is 
opinion, that it should be termed epi- 
| demic catarrhal fever, or synochus catarr- 
halis, and not simply epidemic catarrh. 
The following are mentioned as its most 
equent symptoms. . MJ 
heat, the patient is seized with a heaviness or 
| pain of the head, with sneezing, wateriness of 
‘the eyes, hoarseness and cough. These 
; toms come on in the order here stated. 
the course of a few hours the headach in- 
creases, the skin becomes hot, with pains in 
‘the back and ‘limbs, or transitory stitches 
ross the chest. The tongue is white ; the 
‘pulse quick or frequent, and for the most 
partsoft. There is more or less of sickness 
fat the stomach, and sometimes vomiting. 
Phe bowels are generally costive ; and-con- 
Biderable uneasiness, or even a distressing pain, 
s felt in some part of the abdomen in many 
instances. But the second or third night, 
. 
PEARSON’S OBSERVATIONS ON THE CATARRHAL FEVER: 
«¢ After some alternations of chilliness and 
bow 
733 
When the peripneumonic symptoms 
were at all urgent, bleeding was abso- 
lutely necessary; but they were frequent- 
ly checked in their progre’s, by the early 
employment of an emetic. | Neither 
leeches nor blisters were adequate to the 
relief of the pectoral complaints. Am- 
moniacum and sqguills seemed to do 
harm, volatile alkali appeared to be ser- 
viceable, but most advantage was de- 
rived from opiates, given so as to abate 
the cough. The author considers the 
complaint as decidedly contagious, and 
remarks, that it was always followed by 
a great and characteristic debility, which 
remained for some time after the com- 
plaint had gong off. After giving the 
results of his own experience in this com. 
plaint, the author annexes an account, 
translated from the Moniteur, of the 
same disease as it appeared in Paris. He 
subjoins an abstract from the bills of 
mortality of Bath, in order to shew that 
the number was very materially increas- 
ed, during the existence of the epidemic, 
but as far as his own practice extended, 
the disease was by no means a fatal . 
one. 
Arr. XVII. Observations on the Epidemic Catarrhal Fever, or Influenza of 1808 ; to 
qwhich are subjoined Historical Abstracts concerning the Catarrhal Fevers of 1762, 1775, 
and 1782, and. Communications from various Correspondents. Second Edition. By 
the cough and fever become greatly aggravat- 
ed. The former, viz. the cough, is ‘strong 
and incessant, sometimes dry, but often ac- 
companied (even at its first coming on) with 
an expectoration of thin, sharp'muecus : the 
latter, viz. the fever, is attended with increas~ 
ed heat,;-and with extreme restlessness“and 
anxiety, There is also some confusion of the 
head. “At this time the pulse is often from 
110 to 120. In the morning there is a con- 
siderable remission of the febrile symptoms ; 
but the cough (with more or less dyspnoea) 
‘still continues urgent, gnd the eee com- 
plains of excessive languor an¢ 
Spirits. . 
«« After the third or fifth day, where early 
perspirations have come on, or sufficient eva+ 
cuations have been procured, by the stemacli- 
and bowels, the fever declines; and although 
the cough continues, the expectoration is 
more free, the sputum being of a thicker con- 
sistence, and’ milder quality. The urine, 
which before was high-coloured and clear, 
now becomes turbid, or throws down a sedi- 
ment. - In other instances the cough conti- 
nues very troublesome for many-days, or even 
some weeks, after the abatement or cessation 
of the fever, and goes off very tediously 
without any temarkable degree of expecto- 
ration. ; 
dejection of 
& 
