Home › Medicine › Symptoms (Fever and ague)

Symptoms (Fever and ague)

The symptoms of fever and ague are, unfortunately, too well known among us, com- , unfortunately, too well known among us, commencing with yawning, stretching and uneasiness; this ness; this is succeeded by slight chills or shiver- , that end in a violent or convulsive shaking of the whole body. This is the cold fit, and is immediately followed by the fever or hot fit. The pulse rises, the skin becomes hot, with pain in the head, tongue white, and all the marks of fever, terminating in a profuse sweat, which gradually subsiding, leaves the patient in his natural state, though somewhat weakened.

Treatment. On the first alarm that is given by a chill, or any of those feelings indicative of its approach , take 50 or 60 drops of laudanum in a glass of warm wine, with a little sugar and a few drops of the essence of peppermint, get into bed, and cover yourself with several blankets; this seldom fails to cut short the disease. If the cold should be carefully watched, and the same remedy resorted to. If the inflammatory symptoms seem salts; when this is done, in the intervals use a to require it , open the bowels with senna and quinine pill of one grain every hour; if it cannot be procured take as large doses Peruvian bark as the stomach will bear; in addition to this, endeavor during the cold fit to bring on the hot one, as speedily as possible, by warm drinks, bladders or bottles filled with warm water applied to the soles of the feet and the stomach. Weak whiskey of use by inducing sweat when the hot stage is punch answers this purpose very well, it also is formed.

If the disease resists this treatment, try six drops of Fowler's Solution of Arsenic three it to nine or ten drops at each dose. As this is a times a day, with the bark, gradually increasing powerful remedy, care must be taken to watch its ache, or swelling of the face, it must be laid aside. effects; if it produce sickness at the stomach, head- To restore the tone of the system when getting better, remove to a healthy pure air, use gentle and daily exercise, with a generous diet, iron and bitters.

If the liver or spleen become affected, recourse may sometimes be had to mercury.

Much mischief is done by giving either the and before its inflammatory stage is passed. It quinine or the bark too early in the disease , should never be employed until the bowels have been well opened and the excitement reduced.

Remittent Fever.

This is a kind of fever which occasionally abates, but does not entirely cease, before a fresh attack comes on, so that the patient is never completely free from it.

The most usual form of it is called bilious fever, or bilious remittent.

Bilious Fever. great excitement and a superfluity of bile are Symptoms. In this disease all the marks of visible ; the skin is hot, the pulse tense and full, brown, as the fever increases, breathing hurried tongue white in the commencement, changing to and anxious, bowels very costive, and skin of a yellowish hue. In bad cases, there is great pain in the head, delirium, the patient picks at the bed clothes, a convulsive jerking of the tendons at the wrist, tongue black and furred, a deep yellow skin, vomiting, and hiccup. marshes, and decaying vegetable matter.

Causes. A peculiar poisonous vapor from ponds, general principles.

Treatment. This must be conducted on our bilious symptoms are the most prevalent at the As the inflammatory and commencement commencement, bleed the patient if he be ronext step is to open his bowels. Ten jalap, may be given in molasses, and repeated or grains of calomel, combined with a portion of evacuations are produced. If the pain in the followed by a saline purgative, until copious head be very great, shave it and apply a blister. in the Should the skin be very hot, and great thirst and restlessness prevail, apply cold water over the body, as directed in simple inflammatory fever.

The diet should consist of rice-water, lemonade, etc., taking care to keep up a moderate discharge from the bowels by purgatives, during the whole of the disease. trary, the complaint seems advancing, the patient If, however, in spite of all endeavors to the conto the conshould be brought carefully under the influence of quinine . As soon as symptoms of exhaustion cury should be given internally; on the contrary, or a typhoid state make their appearance , no merbark, wine, acids, etc., are necessary to support the patient, who should be kept clean, cool, and comfortable, excluding all noise. The extreme irritability of the stomach, which is frequently found in bilious fever, may be overcome by the saline draught, in a state of effervescence (to be found on page 123), and in the latter stage of it, when the pulse flags, and the system appears sinking, the quinine mixture, below, has been found extremely useful. Blisters and mustard poultices may also be applied in this case to the ankles, thighs, and wrists. The internal use of the quinine is an invaluable remedy in all such cases, and should never be omitted.

There are in fact two distinct stages in this disease that require two different plans of treatment. The first is bilious and inflammatory, and should be met by bieeding, vomiting, purging with calomel, blisters to the head, and the affusion of cold water.

The second is typhoid and bilious, and must be treated by wine, brandy, the quinine mixture, sound porter, and the peculiar plan recommended in typhoid fever.

Quinine Mixture.

Sulphate of quinine 32 grains; elixir of vitriol 1 drachm; peppermint water 4 ounces. The dose is a teaspoonful every hour or two.

Typhoid or Low Nervous Fever.

Symptoms. Languor, debility, dejection of mind, alternate flushes of heat and chills, bleeding at the nose, loathing of food, confusion of ideas.

These are succeeded by vertigo, pain in the head, cough, frequent weak and sometimes intermitting pulse, the tongue dry and covered with a brown fur, the teeth and gums being encrusted with the same, the forehead is covered with sweat, while the hands are dry and glow with heat, the patient talks wildly. There is diarrhea and swelling of the abdomen.

Causes. Grief, home-sickness, whatever tends to weaken the system, a poor diet, living in close, filthy apartments. Distinguish it from typhus fever by the attack coming on more gradually, and by the greater mildness of the symptoms and the want of those marks mentioned in the former.

Treatment. If the bowels be costive give some gentle laxative, as rhubarb or castor oil. As soon as this has operated, or even before (if the weakness of the patient seem to require it), exhibit wine whey and beef-tea, always remembering that if the strength of the patient be not supported by these means, he may die of debility. Applying cold water gently over the body is a remedy in this disease, of great value. If delirium or insensibility come on, shave the head and apply a blister to it, or cloths wrong out of iced vinegar and water. If a copious purging ensue it must be stopped, or it will prove fatal; this may be done by the mixture No. 1, or by opium. Musk mixture, No 2, and the camphor mixture, No. 3, will also be found useful. Great reliance is sometimes placed upon the sulphate of quinine, which may be taken in doses of two or three grains four times a day, dissolved in a little gum arabic tea, or in pills.

The order of remedies, then, in typhoid fever, is to open the bowels with the mildest laxatives, to use wine or sometimes brandy, to apply cold water over the body, to give milk, chicken water, jellies, tapioca, sago, etc.; to check purging, keep the room cool and clean, use the quinine mixture, one or all of the different mixtures of camphor or musk, and if delirium come on to apply blisters to the head.

Bleeding is, at best, a doubtful remedy in typhoid, and should never be allowed without being ordered by a physician; nine times out of ten it is certain death to the patient.

No. 1. Astringent Mixture.-Chalk mixture 4 ounces; tincture of kino 1 drachm; lavender compound 1 drachm; laudanum 30 drops. Dose, a tablespoonful every two or three hours, as may be required.

No. 2. Musk Mixture. - Musk 1 drachm; gum arabic, powdered, 1 drachm; loaf suga the same; water 6 ounces. Rub up the musk and sugar, adding the water very gradually. The dose is a tablespoonful every two hours. Moisten No. 3. Camphor Mixture. - Camphor 30 grains; powdered gum arabic 2 drachms; loaf sugar 1½ drachms, peppermint water 6 ounces. the camphor with a few drops of spirits of wine, and rub it to a powder. The gum arabic and sugar beat to a paste, add the camphor, and pour in the water gradually. The dose is a tablespoonful every two or three hours. Typhus Fever.

Symptoms. Severe chills, astonishing and sudden loss of strength, countenance livid and expressive of stupor, the skin sometimes burning to the touch, at others the heat is moderate, the pulse is quick, small and rarely hard, violent pain in the head, redness of the eyes, low, muttering delirium, the tongue is covered with a dark brown or blacklooking crust, blackish sores form about the gums, the breath is very offensive, and, in the latter stage, the urine also, which deposits a dark sediment; in extremely bad cases blood is poured out under the skin, forming purple spots, and breaks out from the nose and different parts of the body, the pulse flutters and sinks, hiccup comes on, and death closes the horrid scene.

Treatment. As severe cases of this disease are apt to run their career with fatal rapidity, no time should be lost; bleeding is not admissible, the loss of a few ounces of blood being equivalent to a sentence of death. The first medicine given may be a mild purgative; castor oil will answer the purpose. If the heat of the patient's body be great, sponge him with vinegar and water. This practice produces the happiest results. As soon as he is wiped dry, and has taken the wine if chilled, give four drops of nitro-muriatic acid in a wine glass of the cold infusion of bark every four hours. Wine and water should generally be liberally given in this disease as soon as the typhus symptoms show themselves. Liquid food, as milk or beef tea, should be given at short intervals. The sulphate of quinine in the same doses as mentioned in typhoid is a valuable remedy.

As a wash for the mouth, nothing is better than an ounce of alum dissolved in a pint of water.

Rest at night must be procured by opium, if necessary. If towards the end of the complaint there arise a gentle looseness, accompanied with a moisture on the skin, that seeras likely to prove critical, it should not be meddled with; but otherwise it must be stopped by astringents. As this is a contagious disease, all unnecessary commucation with the sick should be forbidden. The Chamber should be kept cool, clean, and frequently sprinkled with vinegar, and all nuisances be immediately removed. Much advantage will result from taking the patient, on the very commencement of the attack, into a new and healthy atmosphere. Hectic Fever.

This is never a primary disease, but is always found as a symptom of some other one, as consumption.