Throat Disstemper
1785
May 2nd. Went to see Whitcomb's Child
1 year 6 months old, who about a fortnight
before left the small Pox Hospital, &
for a week past had a fever of ye Tert.n
intermittent kind & ye day before was taken
with ye following symptoms (viz.) a sore-
ness of ye throat, a listlessness to all kind
of diversion, inappetency, & restlessness,
the night following was very uneasy,
tumbled & tos'd all night, slept very
little - found it attended with the fo-
llowing Symptoms - A small, quick,
& hard pulse; the tongue a little furr'd,
the Parotid glands & external parts of
the throat much swelled; breathing
noisy & hollow; lying in a stupid, dosy,
state, with ye Eyes half shut & watery.
Directed thus - A Purge of Rhei & Ca-
lomel to be taken immediately; left

 

6 doses of Æthiops Min. and 6 of a diaphoretic
powder, to be taken alternately, after ye
ye operation of ye purge, 1 every 3rd hour;
a gargarism of Myrrh & Crem. Tart.
dissolved in a tea of Serp. Senck. adding
a little honey & vinegar, to be used fre-
quently; a Tea of Senck. Serp. with
vinegar & honey to be drank freely; a
flannel wet with vinegar to be applied
to ye Throat. 3rd Visited do. Found, that
ye Physic had operated once, an alleviat-
ion of ye symptoms ye afternoon of ye
2nd; that it had rested well all night,
& contd better all ye forenoon of ye 3rd;
afternoon very much as ye.day before ; ye
tongue rather more furrd, a trouble-
some cough, & rattling of phlegm in ye
throat; a faint appearance of an erup-
tion under ye skin - Directed a continu-
ance of ye powder 1 in 3 hours .......

 

 

Title: Dr. William Stoddard Williams' Description of a Throat Distempter Diagnosis (transcription)

Author: William Stoddard Williams

Date: 1785