214 On Diseases and Accidents of Farmers. 



portion of a drachm to the ounce, and to apply it two or 

 three times along the whole course of the spine.* 



Another cause of Tetanus is, the exposure of the body 

 during sleep to a current of air, after being heated by ex- 

 ercise, work, or after a hot day. Persons thus exposed, 

 are aroused from sleep by spasms of the muscles, and 

 stiff neck. An emetic has been found very beneficial in 

 such cases, as a first remedy. Powerful perspiration 

 should then be ey.cited, by covering the body with blan- 

 kets, and the use of weak snake-root infusion, taken as 

 hot as possible, and kept up for three or four hours. 

 If the stomach rejects it, hot lemonade or hot thorough- 

 wort infusion may be taken. If the disease do not yield 

 to this treatment, the cold bath, with powerful frictions, 

 must be used, and the remedies given, as before recom- 

 mended. 



If the rigidity of the body do not amount to actual Te- 

 tanus, the same treatment is still to be pursued. After re- 

 covery from either forms of the disease, the body is left in 

 a very weak and irritable state, and in females particularly, 

 great care is to be taken to keep the system in as tranquil 

 a state as possible. Every source of mental irritation, 

 must be carefully avoided, and the diet be generous and 

 easy of digestion. A glass of wine, or sound bottled ale 

 or porter occasionally taken, will be highly proper. The 

 disposition to costiveness, is to be relieved by mild pur- 

 gatives of castor oil, or epsom salts. 



Dysentery, — This is a very serious complaint, and de- 

 serves particular consideration, inasmuch as it is not like 

 many other diseases, confined to one person, but often pre- 

 vails as an epidemic through a country town, township, 



* The medical reader is referred to the case cured by the above 

 treatment, by Dr. Lewis of Pittsburg; Med. Recorder, vol. 3. 

 p. 170, and to the remarks of the author on the subject, in vol. 

 r2. p. 297. 



