412 DISSERTATION OX THE YAWS. 



spirits, good lodging, clean warm clothes and bedding, bath- 

 ing and gentle exercise, are necessary. 



Secondly, To promote the discharge of the morbific mat- 

 ter by perspiration, or upon the surface, this intention will 

 be answered by what has been already pointed out, or by 

 small quantities of Flor. sulphur., tea of contrayerva, de- 

 coction of China root, or sassafras. 



Thirdly, The vitiated juices are best corrected by a conti- 

 nuance of the diet recommended, and by decoctions of sarsa- 

 parilla, contrayerva root, sassafras, &c. Towards the decline, if 

 the disease does not go off kindly, mild mercurials may then, 

 and not till then, be given, with safety and advantage. They 

 are best administered in small quantities, so as to act as 

 alteratives, and not to occasion a ptyalism. If to these, a 

 decoction of the woods, and sarsaparilla in powder, is added, 

 the cure will be more certain. 



Fourthly, To repair the injury done to the constitution 

 by the disease itself, or by improper management in the be- 

 ginning. Ulcers from the yaws do not agree with unctuous 

 dressings, nor with warm fomentations. Washing them with 

 cold water, and dressing them with vegetables, have a good 

 effect. If they are small, it will bo sufficient to cover them 

 with a leaf of the Cissies Cicyoides or snake wyth, commonly 

 called the yaws bush, or with a leaf of the JatropJui Curcas 

 or English physic nut. If the ulcers are large, a poultice of 

 these leaves, beaten and mixed with a little sugar, or with 

 the pulp of roasted Seville oranges and sugar, are excellent 

 antiseptics. 



Erosions of the nose and palate, carious ulcers, bonc-aches, 

 &c. are produced by a long continued use of mercurial al- 

 teratives and decoction of woods. The mischief done bv 

 the too early use of mercury, must be remedied by diet, and 

 by a plentiful use of sarsaparilla, both in decoction and in 

 powder. 



