PRACTICE OF PHYSIC. 



say how far we may succeed, but I know that a neglect of cer- 

 tain precautions and measures has been commonly of the worst 

 consequence, and has been followed by fevers of the most fatal 

 tendency. Where we have an opportunity of advising, I would 

 insist upon the person keeping at home, and his not exposing 

 himself to fatigue, and to the vicissitudes of temperature that 

 would attend his going abroad. At home he should avoid cold 

 by keeping to his chamber, for cold has very ready access to 

 people at rest within doors ; and when they are more sensible to 

 cold, any stream of air is dangerous ; such streams of air ac- 

 cordingly must be avoided, by not going through passages 

 where they may take place. The individual should give up 

 application to business, and should even avoid any fatiguing 

 situation of the body, and lie much upon his bed; whether 

 more or less covered, is a question I shall speak to presently. 

 In proportion to his want of appetite, he should avoid tak- 

 ing food altogether, or at least should eat very moderately. 

 With respect to drink, perhaps another rule is to be given ; if 

 a person has been used, in ordinary health, to take a few glasses 

 of wine more or less daily, he is not to abstain from it altogether 

 in his present situation, but ought to use it moderately accord- 

 ing to his former habits, only keeping within narrower bounds. 

 Such is the regimen that is to be attended to. 



" With regard to remedies in this situation, there is hardly 

 any doubt that a vomit may be useful. From the symptoms I 

 have been mentioning, and the explanation I formerly gave, it 

 appears that the part first affected is the stomach, that a retar- 

 dation of its evacuation and a congestion of crudities are to be 

 suspected. On account of this, and with a view of obviating 

 the fever by restoring the determination to the surface, a vomit 

 is very generally proper. 



" Whether another remedy, that is moderate sweating, may 

 be employed at this period, is certainly a question to be put. 

 Most practitioners are of opinion that it is, and, from every 

 view of the subject, it is very probable that it is very univer- 

 sally safe for the person, not only -to lie in bed, but to be mo- 

 derately covered, so that if any tendency to sweat comes on it 

 may be encouraged ; or, even without that, that some moderate 



