Report by the Central Board of Health of Jamaica / presented to the legislature under the provisions of the 14th Vic. chap. 60, and printed by order of the Assembly.

  • Jamaica. Central Board of Health
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report by the Central Board of Health of Jamaica / presented to the legislature under the provisions of the 14th Vic. chap. 60, and printed by order of the Assembly. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

    335/594 (page 25)
    When opium has failed to arrest the disease, or the patient is seen for the first time in the second stage, the mercurial treatment should be had recourse to, and persevered in until its effects are discernible by the stools assuming a green color, when its use may be suspended. A scruple of calomel is to be given as a dose in the first instance, and afterwards a grain every quarter of an hour until the desired effect is produced. Should I he temperature become lowered, or other symptoms of decrease of power appear before the mercurial ac- tion is perceptible, the saline medicines, viz.: a com- bination of chlorate of potaf^s, carbonate of soda, an(i chloride of sodium, should be given every lialf hour, continuing the mercury until the stools have assumed the character above mentioned, or the stage of col- lapse sets in, when the use of this mmeral, if it has already been freely administered, may be discon- tinued. At this stage, if it has not already been done, the patient should be wrapped in blankets, the frictions be continued, and a hot air bath, if practicable, be given. ]f the patient is seen for the first time in a state of collapse, and has not already taken mercury, it would be advisable to give a scruple of calomel immediately, and to administer saline medicines every quarter or half hour, according to the exigency of the case, and in extreme instances, saline enemata. Turpentine enemata have also been found serviceable. The wrap - ping up in blankets, the use of the hot air bath, the ap - plication of bags fi^lled with hot sand, or bottles of hot water along the limbs, frictions with mustard flour, stimulating liniment, &c, and in fact every means ca- pable of preserving the animal heat and safely excit- mg the circulation, should be had recourse to, and the saline medicines shoidd be continued uniil bile appears in the stbols, when the intervals between the doses are to be gradually increased until eventually they are discontinued altogether.