Observations on the diseases of the army in Jamaica : and on the best means of preserving the health of Europeans, in that climate / by John Hunter.

  • John Hunter
Date:
1796
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the diseases of the army in Jamaica : and on the best means of preserving the health of Europeans, in that climate / by John Hunter. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    bad, but as I have no experience of it, I dare not decide upon its merits. ‘ Phyficians have been much divided with refpe(5t to the ufe of opiates in this difeafe j fome of great note advife, to truft chiefly to them in the cure of the colic, aflerting that they allay the pain, remove the fpafms of the bowels, and contribute greatly to a fpeedy fo- lution of the difeafe, by rendering the opera- tion of purgatives more eafy and certain; while others, of no lefs name, entirely, forbid the ufe of opiates, till a free paflage has been procured. I muft own that my experience, as well in this country as in Jamaica, coincides wdth the latter opinion. The relief procured by opiates was inconfiderable, till the body was opened, and fome of the worfl; cafes that I faw had been treated with opiates in the beginning. A defirc to allay the excruciating pain is the caufe that they are frequently given; but the only circuinftances under which I have found them of advantage were, w'hen the ftomach was very irritable, and they were united to a purgative, to prevent it from being thrown up. It is not probably of much confequence what purgative is given, provided it operate effedtually. ) 1
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