Illness among those who are called Methodist

Dearest and Gentle Readers,

It has come to my attention that that are those among us who are suffering from the inflammation of the brain. I offer, therefore, for your elucidation my humble cures.

JW

INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN.
THIS is either a symptomatic disorder, as when it follows in the course of a primary affection; or it is original, being primary itself -- of this alone I shall treat, that requiring the treatment of the concomitant disorder.

It usually attacks in the heat of summer those of an irascible disposition, who are in their youth and given to study.

Causes. Drunkenness, watching, long exposure to the sun, anger, excessive cogitation, grief, care, vehement desires, external violence, certain poisons, and suppressions of particular discharges; as the piles, the discharge after parturition.

Symptoms. It begins with rigors, which are followed by heat, pain and throbbing of the head, disturbed sleep, noise within the head and ears, inflammation and pain in the eyes, with inability to bear the light and noise, and a bloated countenance -- the pulse is low, oppressed and quick, often weak as well as low, though sometimes it is hard: the patient continues without any sleep for a long time, sometimes till the eighth day; the arteries along the neck perceptibly throb, and blood sometimes issues by drops from the nose; great debility, anxiety and sighing attend, yet the patient is subject to anger, fierce delirium, startings and convulsions. When the disorder has ceased, a swimming and heaviness of the head, weak eyes, and great delicacy of hearing attend for a considerable time.

Management. The patient should be confined in an airy, darkened, silent and cool room; his bed should be hard, and his head somewhat raised upon it. He should have plenty of acid, cool drinks, without any mixture of spirit. His food should be of panada, barley, jelley, &c. The causes of the disorder must be carefully removed.

Cure. The patient should be bled pretty freely, and this may be repeated again and again in less quantities, during the first 48 hours; provided the symptoms demand it, and the patient be able to bear it: -- the pulse will usually be the best guide; for if this does not sink very low, there will be no danger from bleeding. A dose of salts should be given after the first bleeding, and it may be necessary to repeat this the next day. Clysters may be given daily, such as No. 5. one of the fever powders, No. 1. may be given every three hours, beginning after the operation of the first dose of the salts. The patient's head should be shaved and washed with cold vinegar and water. If the delirium runs on after the above evacuations, a large blister should be applied to the crown of the head, and when this has drawn, others, if necessary, may be applied to the ankles.

When the patient has suffered some time for want of sleep, the feet should be bathed an hour or twice as long, in water moderately warm, and if this is ineffectual, let him have ten or fifteen drops of laudanum, or a tea-spoonful of paregoric at night, with this care, that if it makes him worse, to discontinue it; but if it has the desired effect, to persist giving it every night, if required.

A nourishing diet and the use of wine should be gradually entered into, after the symptoms of danger are perfectly gone, in order to prevent the succeeding symptoms of debility.

Great care will be necessary to avoid the causes of this disorder, as slighter ones may cause a relapse or repetition.