A full and clear reply to Doct. Thomas Dale : wherein the real impropriety of blistering with cantharides in the first fever of the small-pox is plainly demonstrated ; with some diverting remarks on the doctors great consistence, and exquisite attainments in physick and philology / by Ja: Killpatrick.

  • James Kirkpatrick
Date:
[1938]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A full and clear reply to Doct. Thomas Dale : wherein the real impropriety of blistering with cantharides in the first fever of the small-pox is plainly demonstrated ; with some diverting remarks on the doctors great consistence, and exquisite attainments in physick and philology / by Ja: Killpatrick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    tjo] moft violent Symptoms of this Diftemper were owing to this Fu(kMi» whMt DoA. Lister (a) oblerv’d, i» the bightfi Secies of it, to fueb a De* grte, that ajter the Blood was cold, the Jlighteft Touch of a Feather wou’d move and divide it hie tfater. And this leads us to the Ra^ tionale of what Experience has (hewn, viz. That Peribns who have had an Ague or gentle Intermittent, a little previous to the 5mall> Pox, have generally pals'd thro* the 2)i(eafe with Safety; the Lentor of the Blood refining a copious Afllmilation : And notwithftanding a pretty fmart Fever may be necelTary, to qualify fuch Viftidity for Eruption j yet the relax'd Solids vylll not a little favour the Egrefs of the Humours; And this i^elax’d, low, cold 5tate of the iSody, where the Poylbn can't well be exalted, may be properly oppos’d to that high, tenlc, inflam¬ matory State where it certainly is. Thus Dod. Nett let on (b) ob- lerves. That if any Diforders or Conjlitutions are mended by this Difeafe, they are cold ones. And to what Purpole are Subjeds tor Infxulation prepar’d for it, by an Abftinence from ftrong Liquors or high Diet, but to keep their Fluids temperate, and free from hot (Emulating tSirlts ? The numerous inflam’d Particles of Blood which are thrown upon the Skin in Summer, and very jiiftly call'd Heat from their Caufe, would almoft ft- tisfy any realbnablc ^’crlbn in this Cafe : Nor will the frequent Laxity of our Syftcm at that Sealbo, by any Means compenfate for the internal Fervor of the /iiood at tlic fame time : For when this Fervor rages ex¬ tremely, it may either lefl'en the Diameter of the excretory Duds, by a violent Diflcnticn cf the Veffels: or, if the Paflages be fufficiently per¬ vious, the great Motion of the Blood will exprels the thinner Part of the Fluids (that ihould luftain the Puftules) and leave the Poilbn, Icfs dilu¬ ted, to ad upon the red Globules, and produce fuch Fufion and Aflimi- lation, as will generally terminate in the Death of the Patient. Every Thing, in fhort, clearly concurs to convince us, that hot Weather, hot Regimen, hot Applications exalt the Virofity of this Difeale: Befidcs all which Difad vantages, the Summer is the worft S'eafon for a phyfical Preparation; and yet it is moft necelTary at fuch a Jundure. No.w alter fuch a clear Demonftration of the genuine Caufes of this Mifcarriagc; and after the Parties Confcflion of the very fmall Share I had in the Promotion of this Operation, one would imagine, that the real Adviici rt Ver'cl. b Philofopfi. Tninlfl&tons^