The First Class, observed especially in the first Period, and in the
greatest Fury of the Distemper, contains such as were afflicted with the
Symptoms that we shall here set down, constantly followed by a speedy
Death.
These Symptoms were for the most part irregular Shiverings, the Pulse low,
soft, slow, quick, unequal, concentrated; a Heaviness in the Head so
considerable, that the sick Person could scarce support it, appearing to
be seized with a Stupidity and Confusion, like that of a drunken Person;
the Sight fixed, dull, wandering, expressing Fearfulness and Despair; the
Voice slow, interrupted, complaining; the Tongue almost always white,
towards the end dry, reddish, black, rough; the Face pale, Lead-coloured,
languishing, cadaverous; a frequent Sickness at the Stomach; mortal
Inquietudes; a general sinking and Faintness; Distraction of the Mind;
dosing, an Inclination to vomit, Vomiting, _&c._
The Persons thus seized, perished commonly in the Space of some Hours, of
a Night, of a Day, or of two or three at farthest, as by Faintness or
Extinction; sometimes, but more rarely, in convulsive Motions, and a Sort
of Trembling; no Eruption, Tumour or Spot appearing without.
It is easy to judge by these Accidents, that the Sick of this kind were
not in a Condition to bear Bleeding; and even such, on whom it was tried,
died a little while after.
Emeticks and Catharticks were equally here useless, and often hurtful, in
exhausting the Patient's Strength, by their fatal over-working.
The Cordials and Sudorificks were the only Remedies to which we had
recourse, which nevertheless could be of no Service, or at the most
prolong the last Moments but for a few Hours.