Diseases > Domestic medicine

232 buchan’s
boasting inoculators, is dangerous to the citizens, and
contrary to the laws of humanity and sound policy.
The food in this disease ought to be very light, and
of a cooling nature, as panado, or bread, boiled with
equal quantities of milk and water, good apples
roasted or boiled with milk, and sweetened with a
little sugar, or such like.
The drink may be equal parts of milk and water,
clear sweet whey, barley-water, or thin gruel, &c.
After the pox are full, butter-milk, being of an
opening and cleansing nature, is a very proper drink.
Medicine.—This disease is generally divided
into four different periods, viz. the fever which pre
cedes the eruption itself, the suppuration, or matura
tion of the pustules, and the secondary fever.
It has already been observed, that little more is
necessary during the primary fever than to keep the
patient cool and quiet, allowing him to drink diluting
liquors, and bathing his feet frequently in warm
water. Though this be generally the safest course
that can be taken with infants, yet adults of a strong
constitution and plethoric habit sometimes require
bleeding. When a full pulse, a dry skin, and other
symptoms of inflammation render this operation
necessary, it ought to be performed; but, unless the
symptoms are urgent, it is safer to let it alone ; if the
body is bound, emollient clysters may be thrown in.
If there is a great nausea, or inclination to vomit,
weak camomile-tea or lukewarm water may be drunk,
in order to clean the stomach. At the beginning of a
fever, Nature generally attempts a discharge, either
upwards or downwards, which, if promoted by gentle
means, would tend greatly to abate the violence of
the disease.
Though every method is to be taken during the
primary fever, by a cool regimen, &c, to prevent too