392 HEPOllT ON THE DISEASES AMONG THE 



A hiccough is extremely distressing, cold and clammy 

 sweats become universal, the urine is voided involuntarily, as 

 are also colliquative stools ; death is then at hand, and soon 

 closes the scene. 



Causes of Ship-Fever. It is impossible to describe the hor- 

 rors on board transports, when crowded with men, and ne- 

 glected by officers. If the men be suffered to be dirty in their 

 persons, in their bodies and bed-clothes ; if they be permitted 

 to be much below, and come little upon deck to breathe the 

 open air ; if they be not compelled to sweep and scrape their 

 berths every day ; if their bedding and hammocks be not got 

 up, and aired every fair day ; and, above all, if the men are 

 not put watch and watch upon deck ; these, or any of these 

 causes, will produce fever; and we have seen transports ar- 

 rive here, who had lost eighty men on the passage, and the 

 rest objects for the hospital. Such officers as were attentive 

 to cleanliness, &c. brought their men in high health and spi- 

 rits, and fit for immediate service. 



Cure of the Ship-Fever. — The sick, on being landed, were 

 washed, either with cold sea-water, or water made milk- warm; 

 they were completely shifted, and placed in clean well-aired 

 wards, with dry bedding. If the fever was recent, an emetic 

 was given, and then the prima? vise cleansed by a solution of 

 natron vitriolatum, and manna or cream of tartar. After this 

 the bark was given, without loss of time, and with such suc- 

 cess, that in less than a week the men were in general dis- 

 charged, quite recovered. 



In the beginning of the ship-fever, the cold bath had the 

 best effects ; and through the day, when the sick were hot, 

 washing the hands and face suddenly in cold water and vine- 

 gar, was exceedingly refreshing. Light covering in bed was 

 directed, especially where there was any preternatural heat. 

 In the advanced stages of this fever, where there were symp- 

 toms of inflammatory diathesis, we had recourse to small doses 

 of antimonial powder alone, or mixed with a few grains of 



