first coming on of the Symptoms, and by giving them
immediately a Vomit, and afterwards a sudorific Draught, the
Disorder was rendered mild, and few of those died.
As the Disorder was for the most part attended with Sickness in the
Beginning, we gave a Vomit after bleeding; which not only discharged
the Contents of the Stomach, and a Quantity of Bile, but relieved the
Sickness, and frequently threw the Patient into a breathing Sweat; and
made the Purgatives which were given next Day operate more freely, and
with more evident good Effects than where no Vomit had been
administered.--If in the Course of the Disease the Sickness returned,
the Emetic was repeated; and we often observed, when the Flux was
obstinate, that well-timed Vomits greatly promoted the Cure.--The
Vomit we commonly employed was the Powder of Ipecacuana, which we gave
from ten to twenty Grains; and where the Patient was strong, and we
wanted to make a free Evacuation, we added one, two, or three Grains
of the Tartar Emetic; which encreased the Strength of the Vomit, and
commonly operated likewise by Stool[35], as Dr. _Pringle_ has
observed.
[35] Mr. _W. Russel_, who was with the Hospital at
_Martinico_, told me, that, when he was there, he found the
Vomit with the Tartar Emetic to be far preferable to any
other, in all Cases where there was much putrid Bile lodged
in the alimentary Canal; as it speedily carried off those
corrupt Humours, which were often productive of the greatest
Mischiefs, if they remained, but for a short Time, pent up
within the Bowels.
Next Day we ordered a Purge to empty the other Parts of the alimentary
Canal. The Purgative, that at first was most employed for this
Purpose, was Rhubarb; but upon repeated Trials we did not find, that,
in general, it answered so well, in this first Stage of the Disorder,
as the _sal catharticum amarum_, with Manna and Oil; which operated
without griping or disturbing the Patient, procured a freer
Evacuation, and gave greater Relief than any other purgative Medicine
we tried. Mr. _Francis Russel_, Surgeon to the _British_ Military
Hospital in _America_, who was formerly Surgeon to the Island of
_Minorca_, was the first Person who informed me (in the Year 1757) of
the Use of the _sal catharticum amarum_ in the Dysentery; he told me,
that the Year before (1756) the Dysentery had been very frequent and
very fatal at _Gibraltar_; and, after trying Variety o
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