ERUPTIVE FEVERS. 



ever they can be safely employed. In the measles, in which an 

 inflammatory state prevails in a considerable degree, opiates 

 may be supposed to be inadmissible ; and, in those cases in 

 which a high degree of pyrexia and dyspnoea show either the 

 presence, or at least the danger, of pneumonic inflammation, I 

 think that opiates might be very hurtful. In cases, however, 

 in which the dyspnoea is not considerable, and where bleeding, 

 to obviate or abate the inflammatory state, has been duly em- 

 ployed, and where the cough and watchfulness are the urgent 

 symptoms, I think that opiates may be safely exhibited, and 

 with great advantage. 



I think, further, that, in all the exanthemata, there is an 

 acrimony diffused over the system, which gives a considerable 

 irritation: and, for obviating the effects of this, opiates are 

 useful, and always proper, when no particular contraindication 

 prevails. 



DCXLIX, When the desquamation of the measles is finish- 

 ed, though there should then be no disorder remaining, physi- 

 cians have thought it necessary to purge the patient several 

 times, with a view to draw off the dregs of this disease, that is, 

 a portion of the morbific matter which is supposed to remain 

 long in the body. I cannot reject this supposition ; but, at 

 the same time, cannot believe, that the remains of the morbific 

 matter, diffused over the whole mass of blood, can be entirely 

 drawn off by purging ; and it appears to me, that, to avoid the 

 consequences of the measles, it is not the drawing off the mor- 

 bific matter which we need to study so much, as the obviating 

 and removing the inflammatory state of the system which had 

 been induced by the disease. With this last view, indeed, pur- 

 ging may still be a proper remedy ; but bleeding, in proportion 

 to the symptoms of inflammatory disposition, is yet more so. 



DCL. From our late experience of the benefit of cold 

 air in the eruptive fever of the smallpox, some physicians have 

 been of opinion, that the practice might be transferred to the 

 measles ; but we have not yet had trials sufficient to ascertain 

 this. There is no doubt that external heat may be very hurt- 

 ful in the measles, as in most other inflammatory diseases ; and 

 therefore the body ought to be kept in a moderate temperature 

 during the whole course of the measles ; but how far, at any 



