Report of the Edinburgh Board of Health, 16th November 1831.

  • Edinburgh (Scotland). Board of Health.
Date:
[1831]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Edinburgh Board of Health, 16th November 1831. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    low this with it table-spoonful occasionally of warm spirits and water, or strongly spiced wine. Repeat two tea-spoonfuls of the Mixture, with thirty drops of laudanum, every half hour, if the first dose fail to relieve.—If the mixture he vomited, then give two Pill.v. No. 3, and repeat one every half hour if the first two fail to relieve, or be vomited. But after the vomit- ing and cramps cease, the Mixture, or Pills must not be re- peated without medical advice. The Cluster, No. 4, should be resorted to also from the first, and repeated once if not retain- ed.—N. B. The doses of the Mixture, Laudanum, Pills, and Clyster, must not be exceeded. For children of fourteen, half the doses mentioned ; and for children of seven, one-fourth is sufficient.]—The Hot-air Bath,—or, if it is not at hand, dry heat over the whole body in any shape, such as by hot blankets and hot-bricks, sand, salt, or bottles of hot water,—together with constant rubbing of the whole body,—should likewise be resorted to from the first.—The Mustard-Poultices should, as soon as possible, be applied over the belly, and on the soles and calves, and kept on till the patient complains of the smarting. By the time these measures have been put in force, opportu- nity will have been given for procuring medical advice ; which is indispensable for the treatment afterwards.—The Board think it necessary to apprize the public, that, where this disease has prevailed, blood-letting, when resorted to within the first, second, or third hour from the commencement of the attack, has been very generally found useful, along with the other re- medies, notwithstanding the appearance of sudden weakness and excessive sinking already mentioned. VI. By following these rules, and taking prompt advantage of the provision made at the Station-points, the Board are con- vinced that very many cases will be checked at the outset. But, at the same time, they strongly exhort the labouring classes to convey their sick friends with all speed to the Hos- pitals, rather than try to cure them at home, where they can seldom have the proper means at command. The Hospitals wall, it is hoped, be so numerous, that one shall be near every man’s habitation ; and carriages, to serve at the same time as dry-heat baths, may be found always ready at the Hospitals and
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