Fever

Willow bark
Old Operating Theatre
and Herb Garret,
15 October 2012

Of course, we know today that fevers can have many causes -- infections, immune problems, cancers, destruction of tissues, metabolic problems, and the list goes on.  However, when you examine John's remedies, realize that there were really no effective treatments like we have today.  Aspirin had not yet been identified as a helpful medication.  Although the Rev. Edward Stone noted in 1758 that chewing on willow twigs, although bitter, helped his pain, when he wrote about it in 1763 nobody paid any attention.  The components of aspirin from both willow and meadowsweet were not isolated and  used to relieve pain until 1895.  Aspirin was only found to break fevers after that time (Old Operating Theatre, "Aspirin" poster, 15 October 212), 150 years after the start of Methodism.

  The "best" treatment of the eighteenth century was bloodletting.  Let's reexamine this practice after our initial aversion. 
 Bleeding effectively decreases fever for three reasons:
1.  The loss of blood decreases the body's temperature.
2.  The loss of iron in the blood decreases the number of bacteria feeding on the iron, and therefore lowers the amount of infection causing the fever.

"Breathing a Vein"
(blood letting)
(Wellcome Library)

3.  The loss of blood stimulates the pituitary gland to release vasopressin, and this in turn stimulates the body's immune response.
(Kasting, N.W.  "A Rationale for Centuries of Therapeutic Bloodletting: Antipyretic Therapy for Febrile Diseases," Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 33 (1990), 509-16, quoted in Madden, Cheap, 229.)

From Primitive Physic:

"A Fever.

"In the beginning of any fever, if the stomach is uneasy, vomit; if the bowels, purge: if the pulse be hard, full or strong, bleed.
"332.  Drink a pint or two of cold water lying down in bed: I never knew it do hurt:
333.  Or, a large glass of tar water warm, every hour:
334.  Or, thin water-gruel sweetened with honey with one or two drachms [1/8-1/4 ounce] of nitre [saltpeter] in each quart.
335.  The best of all julaps in a fever is this: Toast a large thin slice of bread, without burning; put it hot into a pint of cold water; then set it on the fire till it is pretty hot.  In a dry heat it may be given cold; in a moist heat, warm; the more largely the better: tried.
336.  Or, for a change, use pippin ["a sharp apple"*] or wood-sorrel tea: or pippin-whey: or, wood-sorrel whey.
337.  (To prevent catching any infectious fever do not breathe near the face of the sick person, neither swallow your spittle whilst in the room.  Infection seizes the stomach first.)
338.  Or, stamp a handful of leaves of woodbine; put fair water to it, and use it cold as a clyster [rectal suppository].  It often cures in an hour.
339.  Or, smear the wrists, five or six inches long with warm treacle, and cover it with brown paper. -- See Dr. Tissot['s book].
340.  Or, apply treacle plaisters ["plaster: a glutenous or adhesive salve"*] to the head and soles of the feet, changing them every twelve hours:
341.  Or, use Doctor Boerhaave's fever-powder, viz. Eight ounces of nitre, a quarter of an ounce of camphire, half a quarter of an ounce of saffron, and eight grains of cochineal.  These are to be powdered, mixt together, and kept dry in bottle.  Ten grains taken on going to bed abate feverish heat, and procure rest.  Ten grains are to be taken every three or four hours for a continued fever.

A high Fever.
342.  Attended with a delirium and a vigilia [insomnia?], has been cured by plunging into cold water, which is a safe and sure remedy in the beginning of any fever.
343.  Such a delirium is often cured by applying to the top of the head, a treacle plaister: tried.

An intermitting Fever.
344.  Drink warm lemonade in the beginning of every fit: it cures in a few days; tried.
345.  Or, take a tea-spoonful of oil of sulphur in a cup of balm-tea, once or twice a day.

A Fever with pains in the Limbs
346.  Take twenty drops of spirits of hartshorn in a cup of water twice or thrice in twenty-four hours:
347.  Or, drink largely of cinquefoil tea.

A Rash Fever.



Ground ivy
Old Operating Theatre
and Herb Garret,
15 October 2012

348.  Drink every hour a spoonful of juice of ground ivy.  It often cures in twenty-four hours. -- Use the decoction when you have not the juice.

 

A Slow Fever.
349.  Use the cold bath for two or three weeks, daily.

A Worm Fever.
350.  Boil a handful of rue and wormwood in water; foment ["1. to cherish with heat. 2. To bathe with warm lotions."*] the belly with the decoction, and apply the boiled herbs as a poultice; repeat the application night and morning.  This frequently brings away worms from children, who will take no internal medicine; and is likewise serviceable, if the fever be of the putrid kind" (Wesley, Physic, 62-64).
* (Johnson.)