Page:A Treatise upon the Small-Pox.pdf/89

Rh Exigencies; and now I proceed to the second Stage, which begins soon after the first Eruption, and ends at the Beginning of the Maturation. During all this Division of Time, while the Pustules are in their Growth, and every eight Hours make some discernible Advances towards Ripeness, the Patient is to be treated only with temperate Cordials, and pooling and diluting Remedies, if Nature goes on regularly in her own Work; for the Physician, who is but her Servant, and whose Province it is to succour and assist her in Danger and Distress by endeavouring to reduce her to her right Way when she deviates from it, that is, by raising her Pulse, that best discovers her Condition, when they are too low and depressed, or by bringing them down when too high and vigorous, is obliged to stand almost neutral, and not by impertinent, and often hurtful Administrations to interrupt Natures regular Operations, and incumber her with a foreign Weight of unreasonable or dubious Remedies, when she is scarce equal to her own Burthen: And this is often the Case when an unskilful and unapprehensive Physician, or a confident Nurse, who know not when Nature is in the right or in the wrong, and when she keeps her due Path or goes astray, and who not understanding the Connexion of the Means with the Ends, are always obtruding their Remedies upon the Patient, tho’ they have not in View any particular good