Fever nursing : designed for the use of professional and other nurses, and especially as a text-book for nurses in training / by J.C. Wilson.

Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Fever nursing : designed for the use of professional and other nurses, and especially as a text-book for nurses in training / by J.C. Wilson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    105°-106° F., and goes on to 107°-110° F. without remissions. The hyperpyrexia attains its highest point just before or shortly after death. Kecovery from this form of rheumatic fever very rarely occurs. Fortu- nately, it is of most uncommon occurrence, many phy- sicians in large practice never having met with a single case. The special conditions which cause it are not well understood. The medicinal treatment of rheumatic fever by salicin, salicylic acid, and the salicylates has in recent years been attended by brilliant results, which have largely led to the disuse of the older methods. General hygienic and dietetic treatment are of great importance. An even temperature must be maintained in the sick-room. Draughts, cold, dampness, and sud- den changes of temperature are followed by intense pain and constitutional disturbance. The joints may be wrapped in cotton batting, or preferably in sheets of carded wool. The patients must, even in the mildest cases, be strictly confined to bed. My rule is, if pos- sible, to keep them in bed ten days or two weeks after the acute inflammation of the joints has subsided. This is of more importance than is commonly supposed when- ever there has been the slightest implication of the heart. The diet shall consist of soup, eggs, custards, jellies, and milk in moderation. If the fever have subsided, or is moderate, bread, toast, fresh fish, oysters, the white meat of fowl, and game in small quantities may be permitted. For lingering joint-pains massage and galvanism are useful. m