Licence: In copyright
Credit: Beriberi. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
17/464 (page 5)
Licence: In copyright
Credit: Beriberi. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
![acute. This is the case when men are fatigued l^y the heat and drink immediately and copiously a beverage made from the Indian palm. Such an act is no worse than we see done in our own Cduntry sometimes in the dog' days, when some one who has become overheated by vigorous exercise swallows too greedily a drink of beer or milk, thus not only endangering health, l)ut even at times running a risk of death. '■ The s}-mptoms of this disease are readily discernible. Weak- ness of the whole body is noticed at once by the patient. Move- ment and sensation, particularly of the hands and feet, are perverted and dulled, and a tingling is often felt in the limbs such as is experienced in cold countries in the fingers and toes during the winter storms, except that in this condition there is not so much pain. Then also the voice is obstructed so that the sick man can hardly speak articulately. I experienced this myself, for while suffering from this disease the sound of my voice was so feeble for a whole month that those sitting next to me could hardly understand me. besides this, there are often many more signs or symptoms which nevertheless all savor of the cold and sluggish humor, but the chief symptoms have been sufficiently descri]:)ed. '■ We have for the cure of this condition remedies which are here set down, by means of which this cold and sluggish humor is dis- pelled from the sick man. Of itself, for the most part, this disease is not fatal unless it affects the heart or muscles of the chest and in this manner blocks the passage of the spirit and voice. The first thing that is essential in effecting a cure, if it is in any way po ri- sible, is to avoid becoming bedridden, and to this end every effort must be made to exert oneself either by walking, riding or by other similar exercises. To run, indeed, is impossible. Hard and even painful rubbing is here of the greatest importance, and is j^roperly performed here by Hengalese slaves and Malaysian women. Our race is not accustomed to exercise or to the baths which are much frequented here. They also prepare warm applications and poul- tices from scammony which is of an agreeable and aromatic odor. Certainly with us this is not much used; Chamomile and Melilotus take its ])lace. But for dissipating and destroying this humor, in my judgment it is superior. Besides this, the feet and hands are inuncted with the oils of cloves and mace, but mixed with oil of rose, because these are too caustic alone and easily blister the skin. There is al.so a well-known kind of naphtha, brought from Sumatra and called by the Indians Miiijac Tannah, which signihcs oil of the](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b23984442_0017.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
