Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/205

179&#93; S WE »eI(Jom enforced ; nor will our li- mits permit us to detail them. SWEAT, a perceptible moisture, issuing from the jwres of the skin, either in consequence of too vio- lent exercise, or from the aAion of certain medicines, which are hence denominated sudorifics ; though it is sometimes occasioned by great debility of the cutaneous vessels, when it is called a cold sweat. Sweats seldom occur in healthy Individuals, excepting from sume defe<5t or mismanagement of their diet, regimen, &c. : if excessive, they are always hurtful ; on ac- count of their drying and weaken- ing the body j depriving the hu- rnours of their aqueous parts j and disposing t^he system to inflamma- tory diseases. In certain cases, however, when artificially excited, such secretion is productive of be- neficial etfeds, as in palsy, rheu- matism, dropsy, and other chroni- cal complaints. Sometimes, sweats are critical, in particular disorders j J<Jature exerting herself, by the outlets of the skin, to discharge morbid matter : in these, and in- deed in all such instances as are not attended with dangerous symp- toms, they ought to be promoted ; .and, on no account, to be suddenly or rashly suppressed} for head-achs, cutaneous eruptions, catarrhs, to- gether with inflammations, and ■ numerous other aftedions, are fre- quently induced by neglefting this . salutary evacuation. — See alsoPsK- SPIRATION, SWEATING-SICKNESS, an epidemic which raged in E^igland in 1481, and returned seven timps between that period and 1551 ; in which year it proved so fatal, as to carry oli' 120 inhabitants of West- minster in one day. It commenced ^ witl) a most profuse lit of sweat- T^WE [179 ing, which attacked the patient, and often terminated his existence in one, two, or three hours ; though its violence continued for the space of 15 hours ; and, if he survived 24, the danger was gene- rally overcome. The most correal: account of this national scoprge, is that published by Dr. Caius, who states the symptoms to have been, a sensation of a hot vapour pervading a parti- cular limb, whence it extended over the whole body, being ac- companied with intense ihirstj ex- treme internal heat> profuse sweat- ing} anxiety J drowsiness; sick- ness ; a violent pain in the head, and delirium. — Dr. C. conjectures the immediate cause of tliis sick- ness, in 1551, to have proceeded from thick. fetid fogs, that arose from putrid matters ; unclean ha- bitations, and- the negleft of clear- ing drains ; all which remarkably contaminated the air. In order to prevent a return, he directs a strict atte.ntion to cleanliness, abstemious hving, and free exposure to the air: in case the contagion be suspected, it will be advisable to kindle large fires contiguously to the house, and to burn aromatic substances, fre- quently inhaling them by the nos- trils. Wit^i respeft to the cure^ the sweat being critical, he advises the patient to lie down, without changing his clothes, to be covered closely, and to avoid the least mo- tion. After the first five hours, he may take a little wine and water through a spout. At the expira- tion of the fourteenth hour, the bed-clothes should be gradually re- moved ; the sweating restrained j and, after 24 hours, some light food may be administered. Such ought to be the treatment, when the sweat is spontaneous : in N2 the