Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Letter to Editor
February 3, 1764
The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle
Portsmouth, Greenland, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
Letter to Mr. Draper offering public advice on preventing or mitigating smallpox through purgatives, fresh air, diet restrictions, increased fluids, and a regimen of preservative pills made from calomel, camphor, aloes, and other ingredients, based on successful trials in children and adults.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Mr. Draper,
As the North Part of the Town appears to be infected with the SMALL POX, which in several Instances has hitherto proved fatal, and as we have again and again been prohibited from Inoculation,--please to communicate the following Hints to the Public, which you may rely on from very good Authority will effectually preserve from, or greatly mitigate the Distemper.
1. That a Child take a gentle Purgative of Manna, or the like.
2. Let it as much as possible be kept in the Air.
3. The less animal Food it eats the better; no other particular Food is prohibited, except Salt and Spices.
4. Let it drink more than usual.
5. For the first four or five Weeks give it the preservative Pills twice a Week, on Monday and Friday Evenings: Afterwards once a Week suffices. The Dose for each may easily be known, by procuring the Child two easy Stools in a Morning.
The Dose of the Pills--To a Child of 2 Years of Age, three Pills, one of three, four, and so on--increasing by one Pill till the Intention is answered--and keep afterwards to that which answers.--This Method was tried on Children from two to 19 Years of Age, and the Result was, by continuing it Two Months, they escaped the Infection that Time and afterwards.--One Person only who tried the Experiment was some time after seized with the Small-Pox, but so mildly that he had but five in his Face, and was otherwise very slightly indisposed.
The Composition of the Preservative Medicament is as follows.
R Calomelanos rite pp. Camphoræ. Extract: Aloes Δi aa gr xv Rhein Guajac: gr. xxv.
m. f. Pill. Pond: gr. ij fol: Auri obt:
These Pills may be easily obtained from the Apothecaries, and there is no Danger in their Use; for should they not absolutely preserve from the Distemper, the taking them would be exactly conformable to the reigning Practice in this Distemper, by Way of Preparation to receive it.
Yours, X. Y.
As the North Part of the Town appears to be infected with the SMALL POX, which in several Instances has hitherto proved fatal, and as we have again and again been prohibited from Inoculation,--please to communicate the following Hints to the Public, which you may rely on from very good Authority will effectually preserve from, or greatly mitigate the Distemper.
1. That a Child take a gentle Purgative of Manna, or the like.
2. Let it as much as possible be kept in the Air.
3. The less animal Food it eats the better; no other particular Food is prohibited, except Salt and Spices.
4. Let it drink more than usual.
5. For the first four or five Weeks give it the preservative Pills twice a Week, on Monday and Friday Evenings: Afterwards once a Week suffices. The Dose for each may easily be known, by procuring the Child two easy Stools in a Morning.
The Dose of the Pills--To a Child of 2 Years of Age, three Pills, one of three, four, and so on--increasing by one Pill till the Intention is answered--and keep afterwards to that which answers.--This Method was tried on Children from two to 19 Years of Age, and the Result was, by continuing it Two Months, they escaped the Infection that Time and afterwards.--One Person only who tried the Experiment was some time after seized with the Small-Pox, but so mildly that he had but five in his Face, and was otherwise very slightly indisposed.
The Composition of the Preservative Medicament is as follows.
R Calomelanos rite pp. Camphoræ. Extract: Aloes Δi aa gr xv Rhein Guajac: gr. xxv.
m. f. Pill. Pond: gr. ij fol: Auri obt:
These Pills may be easily obtained from the Apothecaries, and there is no Danger in their Use; for should they not absolutely preserve from the Distemper, the taking them would be exactly conformable to the reigning Practice in this Distemper, by Way of Preparation to receive it.
Yours, X. Y.
What sub-type of article is it?
Informative
Persuasive
What themes does it cover?
Health Medicine
What keywords are associated?
Smallpox Prevention
Inoculation Ban
Preservative Pills
Child Health
Medical Recipe
Calomel Treatment
What entities or persons were involved?
X. Y.
Mr. Draper
Letter to Editor Details
Author
X. Y.
Recipient
Mr. Draper
Main Argument
the provided hints, including a gentle purgative, fresh air, reduced animal food and salt/spices, increased drinking, and regular doses of preservative pills, will effectively preserve children from smallpox infection or greatly mitigate it, as proven in trials on individuals aged 2 to 19.
Notable Details
Prohibition From Inoculation Mentioned
Pill Composition: Calomel, Camphor, Extract Of Aloes, Rhein Guajac
Trials Resulted In Escape From Infection After Two Months, With One Mild Case