When the frenzy attends acute fevers, the blood is generally in a great confusion, and the pulse high and fluctuating. Yet bleeding should by all means be avoided, unless indeed the disorder has come on remarkably sudden. Blisters here are requisite; and in order to take off the stimulus of the nerves, give the patient the following draught.
_Take Fever Powder_ (L) _one Scruple; Liquid Laudanum_, (T) _ten Drops; Spirit of Wine and Camphor_ (A) _twenty Drops; Essential Oil of Peppermint_ (U), _four Drops upon a lump of Sugar; Water half a Tea Cup full._
This draught may be taken every fourth or sixth hour; and now and then a grain of calomel may with great success be added to it. Cooling clysters in this case are also of singular service; for example:
_Take cold water, eight ounces; Nitre, or instead of this[16] Fever Powder_ (L) _two drachms; spirits of Camphor_ (A) _thirty drops, mix them_.
The fever powder may be steept in a little water before hand, and the clear poured off, because nothing but the nitre here is useful.
If the patient is very costive, a little honey and soap may be added, previously dissolved; which will both open the body, and promote urine.
For the rest, every method must be taken as is already observed in fevers.
This is a symptomatic affliction, that attends acute and malignant fevers, in its nature quite opposite to the former; in which the nervous system is benumbed, and have lost their sensation; this is very apt to succeed, but seldom precede the Frenzy. When a patient lays in that kind of stupefaction in a continual dosing, there is in general little hopes of recovery; nevertheless remedies must be applied.
Blisters here are very proper, and these should be pretty large. Horse radish should be frequently held to the nose, which has a reviving quality, and is very innocent with respect of adding acrimony to the system.
A vomit has often in this extremity proved very beneficial; which the patient’s weakness should not retard, unless very weak and near the end indeed. The following draught may also prove highly beneficial.
_Take Sweet Spirit of Nitre_ (D) _one drachm; Essential Oil of Peppermint_ (U) _ten drops upon a lump of sugar; water one ounce, mix them._