Important: Safety Warning
This page presents medical treatment from an era before modern medicine. The remedies described are ineffective against the conditions named, and some of the ingredients or doses are harmful. Do not use them to treat any illness; consult a qualified medical professional.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
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Treatment (Apply blisters to the part)
Apply blisters to the part, and if there be much inflammation leech or cup; make a caustic tissue in the little hollow at the top and outside of the thigh, and use all the remedies directed for scrofula. The diet should be nourishing, and the limb kept at rest. Cod-liver oil, from a teaspoonful to a tablespoonful thrice daily, may be given. When matter is formed, bark, wine and a generous diet must be employed. It often proves incurable.
Dropsy of the Knee-joint.
Treatment. Keep a perpetual blister on the joint, or make a caustic issue below it, on the inside of the leg; cold water from the spout of a tea-kettle is a useful application. Camphorated mercurial ointment to the knee, and iodine taken internally, have sometimes been of service.
White Swelling.
Symptoms. Deeply seated pains in the knee, unattended at first by swelling, which at last comes on with increase of pain. After a while the joint enlarges, matter is sometimes discharged, hectic fever follows, and cuts off the patient. Treatment. If from scrofula, use the general remedies directed for that disease, and apply a blister to the part, which may be kept open by the savin ointment for months; if from blows, apply the blister as before; leech and purge freely, and act as directed in cases of similar accidents. If in spite of these precautions the disease continues to advance, amputation may be the only resource.
Pieces of Cartilage in the Joints.
Portions of cartilage are sometimes displaced in the joints, when they act like any other foreign body of a similar texture. While in the hollows of the part they give no uneasiness, but as they frequently slip in between the ends of the bones, causing excruciating pain, it is sometimes, though rarely, necessary to cut them out. For this purpose apply to a surgeon. As all openings into the cavities of the joints are attended with much danger, unless the pain be insupportable it is better to endure the inconvenience than to run the risk of the operation.
Scrofula, or King's Evil.
Symptoms. Hard and indolent swellings of the glands of the neck, that when ripe, instead of matter discharge a whitish curd. It mostly occurs in persons of a fair complexion, blue eyes, and delicate make. In bad cases the joints swell with great pain, the limbs waste away, the ligaments and bones are destroyed, when hectic fever soon relieves the patient from his misery.
Treatment. Sea-water is generally considered a great remedy in scrofula. It is to be used daily as a bath. Made milk warm it forms one of the most excellent local applications that we have.
When the swellings break, a very strong decoction of hemlock may be advantageously used for the same purpose. The diet should be nourishing.
After a fair trial of the waters of the ocean, recourse should be had to iodine and cod-liver oil. The former may be taken in Lugol's Solution, the dose of which is from three to six drops, according to age, twice or thrice daily. Inflamed Glands.
Every gland in the body is subject to inflammation. Whenever one of them is perceived to be in this state, which may be known by the swelling and pain, measures should be taken to reduce it.
Leeches, blisters and all the remedies directed for such purposes, should be actively employed, among which purging and a low diet must not be neglected.
Scirrhus.
Symptoms. A hard tumor, unequal on its surface, and not very sensible, giving but little or no Symptoms. The joint swells, the skin remain- pain on being handled. ing of a natural color. By placing the hand on one side of it, and striking it gently on the other, the wavy or fluctuating motion is perceptible; steady pressure on one side will raise the other above its natural level.
Treatment. Do not meddle with the tumor, but apply to a surgeon as soon as possible.
Cancer.