Copy 1, Volume 1

The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D / Translated from the Latin edition of Dr. Greenhill, with a life of the author, by R.G. Latham.

  • Thomas Sydenham
Date:
1848-1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The works of Thomas Sydenham, M.D / Translated from the Latin edition of Dr. Greenhill, with a life of the author, by R.G. Latham. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    over-learned medicines, the disease is aggravated, and the sick man dies of his doctor. 8. This, however, must be borne in mind. If there occur at the beginning of the eruption either epileptic fits, or coma—as they often do occur with children or young patients—a large blister must be placed at the back of the neck, and a paregoric draught of syrup of poppies must be administered at once. This last must be repeated every night until he recover. The ordinary drink must be warm milk with three parts water, and animal food must be abstained from. CHAPTER III. PLEURISY. 1. No disease is more frequent than this: besides which, it is a disease of all seasons. Nevertheless, it is commonest about the change from spring to summer. |. Atthat time, the blood is heated by the fresh vicinity of the sun, breaking out into inor- dinate action, and effervescing without stop or check. Pleurisy affects sanguine temperaments, labouring men from the country, * duro jam fractos membra labore. ! Chills and rigors usher it in. These are succeeded by heat, thirst, inquietude, and the other too-well known symptoms of fever. Generally, after a few hours—though frequently much later —the patient is seized with a sharp, pricking pain, in the side or in the region of the ribs, which shoots sometimes towards the shoulder-blades, sometimes towards the spine, sometimes towards the front of the chest. The cough is frequent and distressing. It arises from the tension of the inflamed parts, and is accom- panied with so much pain, that the patient holds his breath, and checks the first inclinations towards it. The matter brought up by expectoration is, at the onset of the disease, scanty and thin, and, frequently, streaked with particles of blood: but, as the 1 Horat., Sat. i, 1, 5.—[G.]