A little gentle exercise upon taking the elixir is highly beneficial; and if it throws a gentle warmth over the body, and brings it into a gentle perspiration, you are sure of success.
The quantity of it should be adapted to the condition of the patient, and the strength of the stomach; if it sits easy, a larger quantity may be taken, and seldomer; and if it is more nauseous, a smaller dose and oftener.—Should the fits seem obstinate, the following electuary may be used; and is a powerful specific.
_Take stomach powder_ (M), _two drachmes; nutmeg powdered, one drachm; powdered alum_ (17), _half a drachm; essential oil of peppermint_ (U), _twenty drops; calomel_ (N), _ten grains; honey_ (E), _one ounce: the whole well mixed._
Of this let the patient take every eight, or twelve hours, the bigness of a nutmeg, taking his elixir as before observed; and this will ever prove successful in the most obstinate case.
As patients of that kind at sea, have ever a taint of the scurvy in their composition, or at least have a tendency towards it, exercise and freshness of food, will prove one of the restorative means. The malt decoction should also be their drink, as well as in the scurvy.
To conclude, I shall only observe, that bleeding in agues must at all events be omitted, as being absolutely pernicious, as it cannot fail of impoverishing the blood; which is the principle source of the disorder. Also, in the intermitting time, exercise should be observed, and the diet should, when the stomach craves, be good. Sometimes indeed, the stomach is too ravenous and greedy; but that is a default which proceeds from the same cause as that which makes it loath its victuals; a vomit in either case is the most effectual medicine, and may be repeated as often as it is requisite, without the least fear of injury, particularly in this disease.
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I Shall on this head restrain myself from saying more than what is absolutely requisite to the cure. It seldom happens to infect a ship’s crew at sea, unless the ship has carried it from some place where the disease was contagious.
Though notwithstanding, great sickness on board may give rise to it, if care is not taken to prevent it. I would therefore ever advise, in case of sickness, to steam the birth with vinegar; namely, taking a vessel with vinegar, in which put a hot iron, and thereby raise a steam, which is a powerful preservative.