TROOPS IN THE WEST INDIES. c 3[)j 



time, when it was needful, to mercurial frictions, and the warm 

 bath ; and we recollect of no instance where mercury had been 

 freely given, and persevered in till it shewed itself in the 

 mouth, which was not attended with the happiest conse- 

 quences. 



In the beginning- of the yellow fever, the cold-bath succeed- 

 ed admirably, as in other species of typhus, but in the ad- 

 vanced stage much caution was necessary, Some lucky expe- 

 dients, however, have been practised, which success alone 

 could justify. Thus when the most urgent symptoms had 

 been subdued, the patients were wrapt up in a wet blanket, a 

 profuse sweat was brought on, and an immediate recovery was 

 the consequence. In cases of excessive vomiting, effervescing 

 saline draughts have at times been successful ; but calomel, 

 prudently administered, will in general have the desired ef- 

 fect. In all fevers where the stomach was irritable, and bile 

 was pumped up, our dependence was on calomel ; where it 

 failed, danger was apprehended. We did not, however, de- 

 spair ; we gave capsicum pills, with the most marked success; 

 and even where melasna, or the black vomit, had taken place, 

 the capsicum has snatched the patient from the most immi- 

 nent danger. 



In all the cases of yellow fever which we have seen, we 

 never found those enormous quantities of calomel necessary 

 which are mentioned by many late writers. Ten-grain doses, 

 indeed, were given, for two or three turns, until it operated 

 by stool. If, after this, the fever was obstinate, the dose of 

 calomel was reduced to two grains every three hours, till 

 symptoms of resolution had appeared. It was then discon- 

 tinued. 



Respecting antimonials, the stomach was in too irritable a 

 state to bear them in any form, and the lancet was not only 

 unnecessary, but dangerous in the extreme. 



