Note 54 — Chapter XIII

We must remember that Dr. Tissot is treating here of the higher or confluent Degrees of this Disease; for in the distinct Small-Pocks, it is common to find Persons for several Days without a Stool, and without the least perceiveable Disorder for Want of one (their whole Nourishment being very light and liquid) in which Cases, while Matters proceeded well in all other Respects, there seems little Occasion for a great Solicitude about Stools: But if one should be judged necessary after four or five Days Costiveness, accompanied with a Tightness or Hardness of the Belly, doubtless the Glyster should be of the lenient Kind (as those directed by our Author are) and not calculated to produce more than a second Stool at the very most. Indeed, where there is Reason to apprehend a strong secondary Fever, from the Quantity of Eruption, and a previously high Inflammation, it is more prudent to provide for a Mitigation of it, by a moderately open Belly, than to suffer a long Costiveness; yet so as to incur very little Hazard of abating the Salivation, or retarding the Growth or Suppuration of the Pustules, by a Superpurgation, which it may be too easy to excite in some Habits. If the Discharge by spitting, and the Brightness and Quantity of Suppuration, have been in Proportion to the Number of Eruptions; though the Conflict from the secondary Fever, where these have been numerous, is often acute and high; and the Patient, who is in great Anguish, is far from being out of Danger, yet Nature pretty generally proves stronger than the Disease, in such Circumstances. As the Elect. Catholicon, is little used, or made here, the lenitive Electuary of our Dispensatory may be substituted for it, or that of the Edinburgh Dispensatory, which was calculated particularly for Glysters. K.