A Treatise on the Eclectic Southern Practice of Medicine Page: 84 of 724

INTERMITTENT FEVER.

Periodical Recurrence.-These stages frequently all
take place in twenty-four hours, but they are various in
regard to duration; beyond two days the intermission is
rarely regular in this climate, If the attack returns
every day the fever is called " quotidian." If there be
an intermission of a whole day, in medicine we mean
twenty-four hours, it is called " tertian." If the inter-
mission extend two days, it is then called " quartan ;"
this will bring the attack every third day. We seldom
have intermission in this country longer, but cases are
reported where the paroxysm has been known to return
every sixth or seventh day.
The body sometimes only partially affected.-Cases are
reported where the paroxysm only affected one half of
the body. Abercrombie cites a case of a friend, who
only perspired in violent exercise in a vertical half of
the body. I have a friend of this description, Mr.
Harper, who was clerk of the Probate Court of Grimes
County. I never considered him a healthy man.
It affects any period of life.-Ague affects all ages, from
childhood to old age. I have had under my care seven
German patients over the age of forty-five, and in every
instance, upon the cessation of the paroxysms, anasarc
made its appearance; by this term we mean one of the
stages of dropsy, which, however, was easily removed.
Quinine was administered without any preparatory treat-
ment.
It is liable to return.-When it has once occurred, the
person is ever afterwards liable to its return; cold, wet,
and the east wind have a particular tendency to bring
it back. I do not think it will recur spontaneously, but
I am satisfied that cold, wet and an east wind will fre-
quently bring it back.
Complications of Ague.-It is frequently complicated

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