198 PRACTICE OF PHYSIC. 



CHAP. VIII. OF THE REMAINING EXANTHEMATA: 

 URTICARIA, PEMPHIGUS, AND APHTHA. 



DCCXXX. The Nettle Rash is a name applied to two dif- 

 ferent diseases. The one is the chronic eruption described 

 by Dr. Heberden in the Medical Transactions, Vol. I. art. 

 xvii., which, as not being a febrile disorder, does not belong to 

 this place. The other is the Urticaria of our Synopsis, which, 

 as taken into every system of Nosology as one of the Exanthe- 

 mata febrilia, is properly to be treated of here. 



DCCXXXI. I have never observed this disease as conta- 

 gious and epidemic : and the few sporadic cases of it which have 

 occurred to me, have seldom taken the regular course described 

 by authors. At the same time, as the accounts of different au- 

 thors are not very uniform, and hardly consistent, I cannot en- 

 ter further into the consideration of this subject ; and I hope it 

 is not very necessary, as on all hands it is agreed to be a mild 

 disease, and such as seldom requires the use of remedies. It is 

 generally sufficient to observe an antiphlogistic regimen, and to 

 keep the patient in a temperature that is neither hot nor cold. 



" I have never seen Urticaria but as a symptomatic affection ; 

 and I think that even Dr. Sydenham's account of it amounts to 

 the same. It may, however, be a specific contagion, but I have 

 never seen it in any degree epidemic, except at such seasons in 

 which the Scarlatina, Erysipelas, Miliaria, and other eruptions 

 were frequent. Wherever it occurs I think it is to be consider- 

 ed as somewhat inflammatory, we are to avoid a warm regimen, 

 observe a cool one ; and, if symptoms of considerable fever 

 occur, we are to have recourse to blood-letting." 



DCCXXXII. The Pemphigus or Vesicular Fever is a rare 

 and uncommon disease, and very few instances of it are record- 

 ed in the writings of physicians. As I have never had occasion 

 to see it, it would be improper for me to treat of it ; and I do not 

 choose to repeat after others, while the disease has yet been lit- 

 tle observed, and its character does not seem to be exactly as- 

 certained. (Vid. Acta Helvetica, vol. ii. p. 260. Synops. No- 

 solog. gen. xxxiv.) 



