day let him live temperately It is not the same thing with Cordials as with Catharticks and Emeticks for I not only approve of their use in Fevers if the Patients desire it before the Bark is given but I advise in the time of taking their Clysters that they neglect not the use of 'em not that they are absolutely necessary for the cure but because they are of wonderful efficacy for strengthning and keeping up a good heart driving off its heaviness and preventing disorders in the head For a Cordial I would have 'em take in intermitting Fevers one ounce of Cinnamon water two ounces of Borrage water as many of Wallnut water the same quantity of Balm water two drachms of the confection of Alchermes one ounce and an half of Syrup of Lemons or Pomegranate mix 'em all together and drop in some drops of Spirit of Sulphur to give it an agreeable acidity It has an extraordinary pleasant taste Let 'em take one or two spoonfuls every hour Those that have a vomiting or looseness with an intermitting Fever let 'em make use of this for their Cordial take of Plantain and Knotgrass water each four ounces Diaphoretick Mineral and Hartshorn prepar'd each two scruples Confection of Hyacinth 2 drachms Syrup of Diacodium and Syrup of Quinces each one ounce mix 'em all together and take of it every hour as before In Fevers continual and malignant I would accordingly advise a Cordial Julep to purify the blood and resist the malignity by causing a gentle perspiration let it be this take one ounce of Treacle water two ounces of Scorzoneer water Carduus Benedictus and Scabious water the same quantity each twenty grains of powder of Vipers two scruples of Bezoard Mineral half a drachm of Venice Treacle one drachm of the Confection of Hyacinth the same quantity of Alchermes one ounce of the Syrup of Cloves mix it all together as before These sorts of Cordial Juleps cannot fail of good success those that instead of the powder of Vipers had rather make use of its Volatile Salt and Bezoar Stone if they can get it may put in ten or twelve grains of each if the Fever be very malignant 'T is thus providing against the troublesome accidents that usually attend the most dangerous and malignant Fevers and the Bark taken in Clyster which has nothing more to do but to take off the ferment of the Fever will do it so easily that it will be a pleasant surprize to the Patient and will give satisfaction to the world of its usefulness in Clysters which we here treat of I think by this manner of giving the Bark I have avoided all the inconveniencies which have hitherto accompanied it in the ordinary method of taking it It 's plain the Patients cannot complain of the bitter taste because they do not take it by the mouth It 's also evident there will be no more a weight felt in the stomach because it is not received there As to the heat it 's certain the grosser parts of the Bark which are the sole cause of it stay in the body no longer than 't is just requisite for the natural heat to digest it and extract the volative and wholesom parts the remaining dregs being soon carried off without taking so long a course as it necessarily must if taken by the mouth it must of necessity have a very good effect upon the body which otherwise would be incommoded with that noxious and uneasy weight which is the cause of those heats so much complained of There are only those Patients that are troubled with the Piles that can suffer any pain in giving back the Clyster the powder as it passes fretting the part so I advise 'em to diminish the dose and put but half an ounce of the powder or rather no powder at all but take a strong decoction of the Bark which will cause no pain at all and at the same time perform the cure as well only with this difference that 't will cost the more because you must use a larger quantity of the Bark which I remark here so much the more willingly because this advice may be serviceable to all sorts of People that for what reason so ever shall think fit rather to make use of a strong decoction than of the Powder it self tho to speak the truth except for so important a reason as that of the Piles I should always give the Bark in substance the preference I can affirm that within these three years since I first made the discovery of the manner of giving it I have made use of it in the cure of above two thousand Patients of every Age and Sex who never perceived any inconvenience notwithstanding the great number of Clysters they have taken and some have taken a great many more than others by reason of the relapses they have had from the extraordinary malignity and stubbornness of their Fevers I don't question but that this remedy will find so good a reception that the more 't is known to the Physicians the more 't will be esteem'd by 'em and I dare say the Patients will own themselves obliged to me for having first discovered the way to the most convenient easie and certain cure that has been hitherto in practice for who is not sensible that abundance of sick have died because they have not been able to get down the Bark And considering there are many that have an invincible antipathy to the taking of other Drugs which would be for their health this manner of giving by Clyster what they refuse to take by Mouth will be of more general use than it appear'd to be at first and perhaps one day or other some will acknowledge that I have in some measure contributed towards the perfection of Physick I have had the experience of it in my remedies against a dysentery having met with many Patients whose tenderness of constitution has put me to a great deal of trouble in giving my specifick by Mouth by reason of the vomiting it causes and I have happily succeeded by using it in Clyster I have also communicated the manner of giving this to M. the first Physician who did me the honour to approve of it as well as that of the Bark and every one knows of what an authority his approbation is As to what I said relating to the quickness of the cure which is perfectly and much sooner perform'd this way than by taking the Bark by the Mouth the reason of it is very plain First they give it in a much larger quantity by Clyster than can be given by Mouth In the second place they give it always in substance and consequently it must have the better effect Thirdly It s subtle parts which act only upon the ferment of the Fever and make its ebullition to cease get very easily into the mass of Blood by the mouths of those numerous vessels wich center in the intestin's even so broths given in Clysters pass into
A New Method OF CURING All Sorts of FEVERS Without taking any thing by the Mouth Discovered and presented to the King by Mr. Ad. Helvetius Doctor of Physick in Paris Translated out of French by P. M. LONDON Printed for J. Knapton at the Crown in St. Pauls Church yard 1694. TO THE KING THE new Vse I have discovered of the Bark to cure infallibly all sorts of Fevers without taking any thing by the Mouth has been approved of by your Majesty with a Goodness so obliging when I had the Honour to present it that I should have all the reason in the world to believe the Publick would give it a no less favourable Reception if I offer it my self But Sir after what manner will it not be received by all your Subjects when they know 't is Your Majesty that has been graciously pleased to impart this Discovery thro the Paternal Care which Your Royal Goodness is pleased to take of their Health Yes Sir 't is this extreme Goodness that after having made Your Majesty condescend to enquire into the particular Wants of the Sick which are some of those that have the Happiness to serve in Your Houshold and which Your Majesty has done me the Honour to recommend to my Care oblig'd Your Majesty thereupon to command me to publish my Remedy to the intent that no person in Your Kingdom might be deprived of the Advantage of making use of it I obey Sir not only with the most humble Respect and the most profound Submission which I owe to the Commands of my King but also with a particular Satisfaction and Joy that I have been able to enrich and bring the Art of Physick to perfection for the good of France which your Heroick Vertues have advanced so far above the rest of the Nations of the World and which is my true Country since it has pleased Your Majesty in Naturalizing me to honour me with the quality of one of Your Majesties Subjects But at the same time Sir I take the Liberty which Your Majesty has given me to put under the Protection of Your August Name this which I have published to the World it being Justice that after the singular Grace Your Majesty did me when I had the Honor to present my Specifick against the Dysenter in granting me the power to have Laboratories throughout the whole Kingdom all the Fruits of my future Labours should be devoted as of Right belonging to Your Majesty and should serve me as a means to testify a lively and hearty Acknowledgment of Your Majestys Favours and my ardent Zeal to sacrifice to Your Service during my whole Life with an entire Devotion all that my mean Capacity and weak Endeavours are capable of I am Sir Your Majesties most Humble and most Obedient Servant and Subject A. Helvetius M.D. ERRATA PAge 2â—â— for 〈…〉 Animal A New Method Of Curing all Sorts of FEVERS OF all the Febrifuges yet known to the World without doubt the Bark must be allowed to be the best It 's what all of our faculty grant I have particularly studied the point with all the care and exactness possible and am thoroughly convinc'd of its excellency 'T is true from the manner hitherto observed in giving it many inconveniences arise 't is this has put me upon the search after some better way by which we might be exempt from the ill circumstances and enjoy only the good of this wonderful Remedy Without dispute many Physicians before me have endeavour'd the same which is the reason that within these thirty or forty years last past you have seen so many different preparations of the Bark which are every day in use all over Europe Some give it in Infusion others in Substance there are others that make a Tincture of it some prepare it in Syrup others order it in an Extract and in a word they disguise it in an hundred different forms But after all that they are not yet arrived to that method of prescribing it so as the Patient may have no reason to be dissatisfyed For in truth after taking it one complains of an intolerable weight and pain in his Stomach another that there is a disturbanee in his Breast a third that he feels an extraordinary heat another that he is scorcht up by it In fine we see some every day tho cured by its means yet resolve never to make use of it any more whether or no the Bark it self is the cause of their complaint or rather the management of themselves in the taking of it that produces those ill effects may be a question for considering how often 't is to be repeated and with what caution 't is no difficult matter for the Patient to transgress in some point or other I mention not the complaints generally made by the sick nor the inconveniences most known besides these particular ones which I am going to speak of viz. the Illness of Taste the Nauseousness and Bitterness which always attend it if taken by the mouth vary how you can in the manner of giving it that which is so much the greater pain and trouble to the Patient notwithstanding the greatest aversion after the first taking it is the absolute necessity of repeating it every day sometimes for the space of six weeks or more and after all in case of relapse the vexation of being forc'd to begin all again It was upon weighing seriously these disagreeable circumstances which attend the Remedy that I thought upon the discovery of a more proper way of giving it that the Patient might receive the benefit of it without the pain The way is only by giving it in Clyster For that you must take one ounce of the best Bark pulveriz'd and mix it well in a pint of warm water without putting any thing to 't besides In intermitting Fevers this Clyster ought to be given just after the fit and to be repeated three times a day till the Patient is thoroughly well which won't be long first for 't is extraordinary if another fit returns very rare if two and I never saw a third After the cure the person must take care to continue the same Clysters for the space of twelve days viz. the first six days one in the morning and another in the evening the six last days one in the morning only As the chief and necessary point in the matter is to hold the Clyster in as long as possibly may be and considering there are a great many persons that can do that but a very little while for such you must add to the Powder half an ounce of the Syrup of White Poppies which will easily make it stay without pain In continual Fevers the Clyster must be made of a strong decoction of the Bark with simple water with which decoction you shall also mix one ounce of the Powder And the Syrup of White Poppies shall be used upon occasion as before This Clyster must be given upon the declining of the Paroxysme but
if there be nothing of a Paroxysme you must give it when the Fever is least violent Instead of giving it as you do in intermitting Fevers three times a day in this you must give it every fourth hour till the Patient has lost his Fever After he is well you must remember to continue still the same Clyster for twelve days in the same order as before that is to say the first six days twice a day the other six but once only This Remedy is proper for all sorts of persons of any age of sex allowing only for the difference of the dose For Infants that suck and till they are four years of age the dose of powder must be two drachms From the age of four to ten the dose three drachms From ten to fifteen half an ounce from fifteen to twenty six drachms from twenty to sixty you must give the whole dose of an ounce the same to Women with Child for the Remedy has its effect without causing the least disturbance Nevertheless persons of a very weak constitution whose Fibres are very delicate shall take but half a Dose viz. half an ounce You must observe that those that keep in the Clyster but a little time ought to continue the taking it much longer that the frequent repetition may make amends for the deficiency of every particular one and by the number perform the cure Which is to be understood as well of those that take the whole dose as of those that take but part You must observe also that for those that find themselves dozed as generally most are in Malignant Fevers you must make use of no Syrup of white Poppies but endeavour to make 'em hold the Clyster as long as possible you can without it On the contrary you must observe in all Fevers accompanied with a loosness that you ought never to fail mixing the half ounce of Syrup of white Poppies in the Clyster In fine you must observe that in all complicated Distempers as defluctions upon the Lungs Deliriums Plurisies all sorts of wounds and the like this remedy is always given with success and never fails to take off the Fever leaving all things in a better condition to be the more easily cured There is but one thing which can accompany a Fever wherein you must deny your self the use of the Bark and that is in the extraordinary tensions of the Abdomen I have one thing more to give caution of which is as there are a great many that cannot keep in a Clyster so there are a great many that don't give it back again when taken and so feel themselves inflated For such I think it convenient to take a purgative Clyster towards night for two days which will soon carry off the other upon which account it would not be amiss to inform the Patients that these Clysters have nothing of a purging quality neither are given for that intent that they may not be frighted and disturb'd as a great many are unless they see a large evacuation of Choler and other humors as is usual from ordinary Clysters As for management of the Diet I shall prescribe nothing extraordinary Let the Patient live upon Broths as long as the Fever continues after that let him eat sparingly without overcharging his stomach and avoid every thing that 's hard of digestion During the Fever let the Patient drink Barley Broth made palataable as he shall think fit Every one knows very well that the root of Scorzoner with Hartshorn is of great use in Malignant Fevers that the root of Sorrel Agrimony Succory Dogs Grass are used for refreshment that Marsh-mallows Liquorice Sebesten Jujubes Narbone Honey are very good pectorals When the Fever 's gone I am not for denying a moderate use of Wine to those that desire it for I take it to be one of the best maxims in Physick to satisfy the Patient upon all occasions as far as you can 'T is according to this maxim that if I find any at the first beginning of their Fever unwilling to make use of the Bark either in Clyster or by the Mouth I am not against it so far from it that I should think 'em very much in the right to endeavour first by a little Bleeding and Purging to recover their health which oftentimes has success For that intent I 'll give 'em this excellent Purgative In half a pint of water boil one ounce of Tamarinds two drachms of salt Polychreste one ounce of purified Cassia one ounce and an half of Manna a little Cinnamon and the White of an Egg beaten After you have boil'd it altogether seven or eight turns squeeze into it a little juice of Citron then let it cool and strain it through a cloath for use three hours after you have taken it drink a good dish of broth Those that have a mind to add or diminish or alter any thing in this Receipt may do it if they please and provided they observe the manner I have set before them they 'll never fail of a very agreeable Medicine If there be any likewise that have an inclination to vomiting and there be a sufficient indication for a vomit as is in all Fevers where there is a reaching which by that means goes off without any other remedy yet I would willingly give 'em a preparation which is the best and easiest that can be taken for that purpose Take of purified Nitre and crude Antimony each one pound beat 'em into a very fine Powder and searce it put a Crucible upon fresh coals and when 't is red hot throw in this powder by little spoonfuls and let it make a detonation leave it in fusion for one half hour after that let the fire go out and the Crucible grow cold then break it to take out the vitrified matter and reduce it again into a subtle powder then add to it double its weight of Cremor Tartar also pulveriz'd mix it all together and searce it throw it in by little and little into a sufficient quantity of boiling water to make a dissolution of the salt this powder contains filtre the water through Cap-paper after that evaporate it till no moisture's left and you 'll have a salt without dispute the best of all Emeticks The Dose is from eight grains to twelve The manner of taking it is to warm a Glass of Wine and pour a little out into a spoon where you have put the powder and swallow it down then put a little more warm Wine into the spoon and drink down that and leave none of the powder behind then drink off the remains of the Glass The Patient will have an inclination to vomit a quarter or half an hour after Assoon as he has vomited once let him drink a large glass of warm water that it may operate the more easily and repeat it three or four times during the operation Three hours after he has taken the powder you may give him some broath the remaining part of the