Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)/Pleurisy

PLEURISY, or Pleuritis, is an inflammation of the membrane, called the pleura, which lines the cavity of the chest, and covers internally the ribs, intercostal muscles, and lungs.

The characteristic signs of this dangerous disorder are, fever; a hard, full, and tense pulse; an acute pain in the side affected, that increases both on inspiring and attempting to lie down; straitness and oppression of the chest; with a painful cough, which is at first dry, afterwards humid, and frequently accompanied with the expectoration of mucus streaked with blood.—Those causes that produce inflammation of the lungs (see p. 133, of the present volume) are likewise apt to occasion pleurisy; beside which may be mentioned, the disuse of blood-letting, after a person has strangely been accustomed to lose blood, at stated periods; also keeping the body too warm; a plethoric habit; and worms.

Beside a most rigorous abstinence from animal food, heating liquors, and every kind of irritation, either by the indulgence in passions, or exercise of body or mind, the first remedy to be employed in a pleurisy, is copious bleeding, either with the lancet, or by means of leeches. These evacuations should be repeated after 12 or 14 hours, if the violence of the pain do not abate: and, if the symptoms still continue, or the blood present what is termed a buffy coat, the operation must be performed a third, or even a fourth time; with a view to save the patient's life.—Blisters, fomentations, and warm cabbage, or other leaves, have often with advantage been applied to the painful side. With similar success, gentle emetics, and purgatives, have been administered in partictilar cases; and, if the patient neither perspire nor pass any urine, small but frequent doses of camphor and nitre have generally procured relief.—In other respects, the treatment, as well as the diet and regimen, varies but little from that already stated under Inflammation of the Lungs, to which article the reader is referred.