164 PRACTICE OF PHYSIC. 



always proper to give a vomit, as useful in the commencement 

 of all fevers, and more especially in this, where a determination 

 to the stomach appears from pain and spontaneous vomiting. 



DC XX. It frequently happens, especially in infants, that, 

 during the eruptive fever of the smallpox, convulsions occur. 

 Of these, if only one or two fits appear in the evening preceding 

 the eruption, they give a favourable prognostic of a mild 

 disease, and require no remedy ; but if they occur more early, 

 and be violent and frequently repeated, they are very dangerous, 

 and require a speedy remedy. For this purpose, bleeding is 

 hardly ever of service; " it may modify the violence of the fits ; 

 but where they come to occur frequently, they would occasion 

 the use of venesection too often, and it may be doubtful whether 

 that be not favourable to the increase of these symptoms ;" 

 blistering always comes too late ; and the only remedy I have 

 found effectual, is an opiate given in a large dose. 



DC XXI. These are the remedies necessary during the 

 eruptive fever ; and if, upon the eruption, the pimples upon 

 the face be very few and distinct, the disease is no further of 

 any danger, requires no remedies, and the purgatives, which, as 

 has been said before, are by some practitioners continued, prove 

 often hurtful. 



But when, upon the eruption:, the pimples on the face are 

 very numerous, when they are not distinct, and especially 

 when, upon the fifth day, the fever does not suffer a consider- 

 able remission, the disease will still require a great deal of 

 attention. 



DC XXII. If, after the eruption, the fever shall continue ; 

 the avoiding heat, and the continuing to expose the body to a 

 cool air, will still be proper. If the fever be considerable, with 

 a full and hard pulse, in an adult person, a bleeding will be 

 necessary ; and, more certainly, a cooling purgative. It is, 

 however, seldom that a repetition of the bleeding will be proper, 

 as a loss of strength does usually come on very soon ; but the 

 repetition of a purgative, or the frequent use of laxative glys- 

 ters, is commonly useful. 



DCXXIII. When a loss of strength, with other marks of 

 a putrescent tendency of the fluids appears, it will be necessary 

 to exhibit the Peruvian bark in substance, and in large quanti- 



