A new method of curing the small-pox; by which that disease ... is rendered as void of danger as when received from inoculation ... With a specimen of miscellaneous observations on medical subjects / From the Latin by a physician [i.e. T. Houlston].

  • Johann Friedrich Clossius
Date:
1767
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A new method of curing the small-pox; by which that disease ... is rendered as void of danger as when received from inoculation ... With a specimen of miscellaneous observations on medical subjects / From the Latin by a physician [i.e. T. Houlston]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    had applied thefe in the fir ft ftage of the Small-Pox, on account of anomalous fymptoms, preceding the erup¬ tion, the progrefs of the difeafe had been always as mild as could be wiftied; others declare, that they have made the fame obfervation. Tralles (1) who is otherwife a great hater of blifters, in acute Inflammations, aflerts that he has often feen^ when either vehement convulftons^ or drowfy affections^ before the breaking out of the Small~PoXy in the beginning or progrefs of the primary fever^ have requi¬ red a bltjler^ the difeafe has followed milder. Upon accu¬ rately confidering then the actions of blifters upon the human body, and comparing it with the true nature of the difeafe, I was foon convinced, that they would be the fitcefl; remedy to reftrain its violence. And a little af¬ terwards, a good opportunity offered for trying this me¬ thod on feveral patients. It is furprifing how excellently it fucceeded. For both old and young, had the Small- Pox fo mildly, that it feem’d to rival inoculation: But I did not confidcr thefe experiments, though pretty nu¬ merous, as fully fufHcient to confirm the efficacy of my method. For, to fay the truth, the kind of the Small- Pox at that time fpreading, was a very favourable one, and few were deftroy’d by it. Hence I was in fomc doubt, whether the innocence of the difeafe in my pati¬ ents was owing to the favourable kind, or to the method I applied. Therefore when another kind was rife, and that a very dangerous one (for many were cut off, v/ho were treated with the greateft care, by the ableft Phyfl- cians, well verfed in the antiphlogiftic method) I again tried it, and in thefe cafes with plcafure obferved effedls, perfedtly fimilar to the former •, and being now fufhei- cntly convinced, that every impending danger from the Small-Pox is eflr’ecftually guarded againft by this method, I thought it nnjufl, longer to delay its publication. Nor do I doubt, but Inch as are anxious for the improvement of (/) Dlff. Cit. J 22. page 115.
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