Читать книгу An Account of the Diseases which were most frequent in the British military hospitals in Germany - Donald Monro - Страница 4

Putrid Malignant Fevers, attended with Eruptions, are taken Notice of by Hippocrates[24], and other antient Authors[25]; but whether they meant that particular Sort of Eruption which we now call Petechiæ, is uncertain; as their Descriptions are not clear enough to distinguish it from the Miliary and other Kinds. But since the Year 1500, we have had many accurate Accounts of Fevers of this Kind, which have appeared in different Parts of the World: from all which it appears that such Fevers generally take their Rise either from some antecedent Acrimony of the Blood; or, what is more frequent, from some Source of Corruption or Contagion; from the Use of putrescent animal Food, and a Want of fresh Vegetables and acescent Liquors; from the putrid Steams of corrupted animal Substances; from the moist putrid Vapour of low marshy Places in Summer, where there is stagnating Water, which corrupts by the Heat; from the foul Air of crowded Hospitals, Jails, and Ships; and from such like Causes[26].

When once this Fever begins, it is observed to be of a contagious Nature, and (if proper Care is not taken) to affect those who attend the Sick, or who live in the same Room, and breathe the same Air with them.

Many Authors have reckoned the Malignant, Petechial, and Pestilential, to be distinct Species of Fevers; and have treated each of them under a particular Head. But Riverius[27] has very justly observed, that they all belong to the same pestilential Tribe, and only differ from one another in the Degree of Infection, and the Violence of the Symptoms[28]; and that they are to be cured by the same general Treatment, and the same Medicines.