Saturninum, before we got the better of this Complaint. However, it
ought to be observed, that if these astringent Collyria were used too
soon, they did hurt. When these Ophthalmias were neglected in the
Beginning, the Inflammation frequently rose to a great Height, and
left an Obscurity or Philm over the Cornea, which remained an
Impediment to the Sight not to be removed.
Towards the Decline of these Fevers, and very often during the Course
of them, many complained of Pains in their Feet and Toes, which
sometimes ended in Mortifications, especially where the Patients lay
in very cold Wards. For the most Part, the Mortification extended no
further than the Ends of the Toes, tho' in some it spread over the
Feet, and in two or three advanced up the Leg. Several lost one or
more Toes; and in _February_ 1761, one Man lost Half of each Foot;
another lost both Feet, and Part of each Leg. Both got the better of
the Fever, tho' the Man who lost both Feet languished a long time
afterwards. These Pains of the Feet and Toes, and the Mortifications
which followed, were for the most part owing to the Patients being
exposed to too much Cold while they were very weak, the Circulation
languid, and the Juices vitiated by a putrid Distemper; by which means
the Vessels were rendered incapable of carrying on the Circulation in
their extreme Branches[23].
[23] These Pains and Mortifications of the Feet and Toes were
not confined to those who were brought low by malignant
Fevers; for, during the very hard Frost in the Beginning of
the Year 1763, many of the Patients who lay in very large
open Wards in the Hospital at _Osnabruck_, were affected in
the same Way. One Man had both Feet, and Part of each Leg,
compleatly mortified, and died in about nine Days after the
first Appearance of the Mortification. One lost half of one
Foot, and some Toes of the other; and the third lost the
first Joint of some of his Toes, and the Ends of others.
As soon as the Sick began to complain of these Pains of the Toes and
Feet, I found the best Remedy to be, the Bathing of the Feet in warm
Water, or in warm aromatic Fomentations; and, after keeping the Feet
for some time in these warm Liquors, to dry them well, and then rub
them with the _linimentum saponaceum_, or _linimentum volatile_, and
wrap them up in Flannel. And if ever any Lividness or Redness appeared
on the Parts, we gave plentifully of the Cortex and Cor
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