Encyclopaedia Americana: a popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, brought down to the present time : including a copious collection of original articles in American biography : on the basis of the seventh edition of the German Conversations-Lexicon (Volume 5).

Date:: 1830-33

Credit: Encyclopaedia Americana: a popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, brought down to the present time : including a copious collection of original articles in American biography : on the basis of the seventh edition of the German Conversations-Lexicon (Volume 5). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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$constitutes tlie third stage. When inter- mittents continue for any length of time, they are apt to induce other complaints, such as a loss of appetite, flatulency, scir- rhus of tlie liver, dropsical swellings, and general debility, which, in the end, now and then prove fatal, particularly in warm cli- mates ; and, in some cases, tliey degene- rate into continued fevers. Relapses are very common to this fever at the distance of hve or sLx months, or even a year. Au- tumnal uitermittents are more difficult to remove than venial ones, and quartans more so than the odier types. It is al- ways desirable to suspend a paroxysm, if possible, not only to prevent mischief, but also that there may be more time for the use of the most eftectual remedies. When, therefore, a fit is commencing, or shortly expected, we may try to obviate it by some of those means which excite movements of an opi)ositc description in the system: an emetic will generally answer the i)ur- posc, determining the blood powerfully to the surface of the body; or a full dose of opium, i\ssisted by the pediluvium, &c.; ether also, and various stimulant remedies, will often succeed ; but these may perhaps aggravate, should they not prevent the fit; , the cold bath, violent exercise, strong im- pressions on the mind, &c., have likewise been occasionally employed with effect. Should the paroxysm have already come on, and the cold stage be very severe, the vvann bath, and cordial diaphoretics in re- peated moderate doses, may assist in bring- ing warmth to the surface : when, on the contraiy, great heat [)revails, the antiphlo- gistic {)lan is to be pui-sued. In the inter- missions, in conjunction widi a genez'ous diet, moderate exercise, and other means calculated to improve the vigor of the sys- tem, tonics are the remedies especially re- lied ujjon. At the head of tjiese we must certainly place the cinchona, which, taken largely in substance, will seldom fail to cure the disease, where it is not complicat- ed with visceral affection. ' Synocha (from c\ii'cx(^, to continue). Febris synocha ; inflammatorj' fever; a species of continued fever, characterized by increased heat; pulse frequent, strong, hard ; mine high-colored; senses not im- pau'ed. This fever is so named from its being attended with symptoms denoting general mflammation in the system, by Avhich we shall always be able readily to disringuish it from either the nervous or putrid. It makes its attack at all seasons of the year, but is most prevalent in the spring; and it seizes persons of all ages and habits, but more particularly those in the vigor of life, with strong elastic fil>re5, and of a plethoric constitution. It is a species of fever almost peculiar to cold and temperate climates, being rarely, if ever, met with in veiy warm ones, except among foreigners lately arrived ; and even then, the inflammatorj-stage is of very siiort du- ration, as it very soon assumes either tbe neiTous or putrid type. The exciting causes are sudden transitions from heat to cold, swallowing cold hquors when the body is much heated by exercise, too free a use of vinous and spirituous liquors, great intemperance, violent passions of the mind, the sudden suppression of habitual evacuations, and the sudden repulsion of eruptions. It may be doubted if this fever ever originates Irom personal iiifiction; but it is possible for it to ap])car as an epi- demic among such as are of a robust habit, from a peculiar state of the atmosjihere. It comes on with a sense of lat^siludc and inactivity, succeeded by vertigo, rigors and pains over the whole body, but more ])articularly in die head and back ; w liich symjrtoms are shortly followed by redness of the face and eyes, gi-cal restlessness, in- tense heat, and unquenchable thirst, op- j)ression of breathing, and nausea. The skin is dry and parched ; the tonpuc is of a scarlet color at the sides, and furred w iih white in the centre ; the urine is red and scanty; the body is costive.; and there is a quickness, with a fulness and hardness in the pulse, not much affected by any pres- sure made on the arterj'. If the febrile symptoms run veiy high, and projjer means are not used at an early period, stupor and delirium come on, the imagina- tion becomes much disturbed and liiuTied, and the patient raves violently. The dis- ease usually goes through its course in about fourteen days, and tcnuinates in a crisis, either by diaphoresis, dianiiceoj hfemoiThage from the nose, or the depos- it of a copious sediment in the urine; which crisis is usually preceded by some variation in the pulse. The chief indica- tion in synocha is to lessen the excessive vascular actions by evacuations, and the antiphlogistic regimen. Of the foi7ner,by far the most important is I'lood-letting. Purging is next in efiicacy. As the dis- ease advances, however, wc must at- tempt to promote the other discharges, particularly diat by the skin. The anti- phlogistic regimen consists in obviating stimuli of eveiy kind, so far as this can be done safely; impressions on the senses, particularly the sight and hearing, bodily and mental exertion, &c., must he guarded against as much as possible. The diet$

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