FEVERS. 599 



Sect. I. Of the Cure of Continued Fevers. 



CXXV. As it is allowed, that in every fever which has its 

 full course, there is an effort of nature of a salutary tendency, 

 it might be supposed that the cure of fevers should be left to 

 the operations of nature, or that our art should be only directed 

 to support and regulate these operations, and that we should 

 form our indications accordingly. This plan, however, I can- 

 not adopt, because the operations of nature are very precarious, 

 and not so well understood as to enable us to regulate them 

 properly. It appears to me, that trusting to these operations 

 has often given occasion to a negligent and inert practice ; and 

 there is reason to believe, that an attention to the operations of 

 nature may be often superseded by art. 



CXXVI. The plan which to me appears to be most suit- 

 able, is that which forms the indications of cure upon the view 

 of obviating the tendency to death ; while, at the same time, 

 the means of executing these indications are directed by a pro- 

 per attention to the proximate cause of fevers. 



Upon this plan, in consequence of what has been laid down 

 above on the subject of the prognostic, we form three general 

 indications in the cure of continued fevers ; and the one or other 

 of these is to be employed according as the circumstances of the 

 fever (CII.) shall direct. 



The first, therefore is, to moderate the violence of reaction. 



The second is, to remove the causes, or obviate the effects of 

 debility. And, 



The third is, to obviate or correct the tendency of the fluids 

 to putrefaction. 



CXXVII. The first indication may be answered, that is, the 

 violence of reaction may be moderated, 



1. By all those means which diminish the action of the heart 

 and arteries. 



2. By those means which take off the spasm of the extreme 

 vessels, which we suppose to be the chief cause of violent re- 

 action. 



