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When she's grown putrid by the rains, and fweats
Such noxious vapours, prefs'd by fcorching heats *

Now, as this terreftrial putridity is chiefly occafioned by rotted vegetables, and fometimes alfo by the dead bodies of animals, and by minerals; fo the waters, efpecially of lakes and moraffes, which have their plants and animals, in the fame manner frequently exhale peftilential vapours, which infect the circumambient air. In this clafs may be ranged, though rarely happening in our climes, inundations, earthquakes, eruptions from mountains, and all other remarkable and uncommon phænomena of nature, which are capable of filling the air we breathe, with particles offenfive to animal life. For thefe affect our bodies, and prepare them for the easy reception of diseases.

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Slow fevers, commonly called hectic, are owing

to fo many different caufes, that they may well

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feem not to be the fame, but different difeafes. all this tribe the most pernicious are those which arise from an ulcer in any principal part of the body, the lungs efpecially, by the purulent matter mixing with the blood, and disturbing its natural motion.

Now, it is to be obferved, that the perfons most liable to thefe exulcerations of the lungs, are fuch as had been afflicted with fcrophulous diforders in their infancy or youth. To which purpose I remember the experienced Dr Radcliffe was wont to say, that pul* Creech's Lucretius, b. vi. ver. 1057.

monary

monary confumptions in this and the colder countries are generally fcrophulous. And indeed, in the diffection of bodies, dead of confumptions, we very often. find the lungs befet with tubercles or indurated glands, which had fuppurated and thrown off purulent matter.

Medical writers have accurately defcribed the vari ous ftages of this difeafe, as they fucceed each other; but they have not taken fufficient notice, that fome of its firft caufes have their periods or returns. And yet it is of great confequence to obferve and prevent these periodical returns, as much as poffible. Thus we fee feveral perfons at certain or ftated times feized 'with a fpitting of blood, or a defluxion of thin ferofities on the lungs, and fometimes with bilious vomitings. In all these cafes the bark is of fervice, if joined with pectorals, and given before the expected return of the disorder: which rule holds equally good in other hæmorrhages. But, when the lungs are actually ulcerated, this fame medicine is very prejudicial; as fhall be taken notice of anon.

In ulcers of the lungs phyficians particularly recommend a milk-courfe, as having the double advantage of being food and phyfic. But this practice is liable to fome caution; becaufe fome people have a natural averfion to milk. Moreover, in headachs, acute fevers, and exceffive thirst occafioned by them; and likewife in flatulencies, in bilious loofeneffes, and very bloody ftools, milk ought always to be deemed a poifon *. Now, we generally give the preference to affes milk, though lefs nutritive; because it is more cooling and detergent. But when it cannot be conveniently had, whey, made of cows milk, or even

Hippocr. aphor. fect. v. 64.

of

of goats milk, may be substituted in its room, efpecially if the goats have been fed on fragrant herbs : but cows milk itself, although diluted, as ufual, with barley-water, is very frequently inconvenient. And the whey may be rendered more fuitable to the disease, by infufing ftomachic and carminative herbs in it. But it happens unluckily fometimes, that when milk is extremely neceffary for the body, fuch is the laxity of the inteftines, that they cannot bear it. In this cafe, the milk may be medicated in this manner : Take of red rofes dried, of balauftins, pomegranate rind and cinnamon, each one drachm; boil them in a pint of cow's milk. When the decoction begins to boil, pour a little cold water into it, to make it fubfide repeat this process feveral times, till you have ufed a pint of water, and till the milk and water together are reduced to a pint. Then ftrain off the liquor, fweeten it with fugar, divide it into convenient draughts, fo that the patient may take the whole quantity every day. This diet will answer the double intention, of affording nourishment, and restraining the loofenefs; without putting the leaft obftacle to the ufe of other food or medicines.

Now, it is of the utmost consequence to attempt the cure of this dreadful disease early; and as it arifes from inflammation, it requires not only one, but feveral bleedings. If the blood be thick and black or fizy, it is called bad blood, and is thought to indicate further bleeding; but if it be red and florid, it is efreemed good, and the lancet is no more used. But this notion is apt to lead into mistakes: for it is not uncommon to fee blood drawn, when in the highest effervefcence, extremely florid, and at the fame time

thick and fizy in which cafe, bleeding ought to be repeated till its rednefs and fizinefs are diminished; which may be done without danger. It will poffibly be thought a rafh practice to draw blood, even when the patient is much wafted in his flesh, and very weak. But it is better to try a doubtful remedy than none and a temporary leffening of the ftrength is of fervice, when attended with a removal of part of the cause, which would weaken the body more and more every day. Wherefore, if the lungs be ulcerated, and the fever run high, it will be proper to take away as much blood as the patient can bear, at proper intervals, fo as to allow the body time to recruit. I have seen cases, judged almost desperate, where this method of practice fucceeded well but if it happen otherwife, the physician is not to be branded with the death of the patient, whofe vifcera were fo corrupted, that it was impoffible to fave him.

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Before I quit this article, 1 muft obferve, that fumigations with balfamics, fuch as frankincenfe, ftorax, amber, and benzoin, in order to correct and fweeten the acrid and falt humours, is of vaft fervice in fome cafes which is to be done by throwing the ingredients on red coals, and receiving the fumes through a proper tube directly into the windpipe and lungs *. I am very fenfible, that this method of adminiftering balfamics is almoft entirely neglected, as ufelefs. But whofoever confiders the length of the way which they must make by the blood-veffels, before they reach the lungs, and what a fmall part of them comes to the place of their destination, will eafily fee, that

See Chriftophori Benedicti tabidorum theatrum, fub finem. Lond. 1656.

this is the best way of communicating their virtue, if they have any.

For the fame reason, I have known the fmoke of balfam of Tolu, fucked into the lungs through a proper tube, as we smoke tobacco, to be of fignal benefit, efpecially in fpitting of blood.

To thefe little fuppurations it may not be improper to fubjoin a larger abfcefs, which is fometimes formed in the fame part, and is named a vomica. This dif cafe, though bad in itself, and often terminates in a confumption; yet is not attended with fo much danger, as thofe leffer exulcerations. For I have seen cafes, wherein the patients, in a fit of coughing, threw up a pint or two of purulent matter of such an exceffive french, that people could not bear the room, mixed with blood; and yet they were perfectly cured by a milk-diet and balfamics, with anodynes properly interfperfed.

Thus far of the phthifis, or pulmonary confump

tion.

But there are two other fpecies of confumption which wafte a perfon different ways. In one, the body is not nourished; and as fome particles are always naturally flying off, and nothing coming to fupply their place, an exceffive wafting of flesh enfues, which is called an atrophy. This is very frequently owing to a defect in the nervous fluid; and is either accompanied with a cachexy, which is the other fpecies, or gradually brings it on. In both fpecies, the food is corrupted by reafon of the bad habit of body, and the parts are not recruited: and therefore a wellregulated courfe of living, and fteel-medicines to

ftrengthen

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