Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/204

184] ME A hoiling water. Impart to it a very agreeable odour, which rises 011 distillation : hence they are often e/Tiplpyed by wine-merchants, for improving the flavour of made "wii^es. The roots are so power- fully astringent, that calf-leather bj^s been tanned with them in a fortnight. According tp Bryant, thp Russians prepare of these root^ a. palatable granulated flour or gj'oats; and Olaffen informs us, that the Icelanders dye a durable, black colour, by a decoiStion of the "vyhole plant.— Hogs devour the Toots witji avidity ; goats and sheep also relish this herb, but cows and , horses refuse it. Meal. See Flouk, , JVJeals. See Dinner. ^Iealy-tree. See Guei^der- BOSE. MEASLES, or Ruleola, a con- tagious disease, accompanied with inflamniqtory fever, sneezing, de- iiuxion of a thin humour from the eyes, and a dry^ hoarse cough.— On the fourth day, or sometimes later, small clustered pirpples break cut on the skin, but which generally dis- appear in three or four days, leav- ing behind branny or mealy scales. The measles bear great resem- blance to the small-pox J and like- ns' ise a fled a person once only dur- ing his life. They are most fre- quent among children in the spring, but, if properly managed, seldom prove fatal. The disease commences with a fit. of shivering, succeeded by in- tense heat, thirst, aujtiety, sick-- n.ess, and, vomiting, which vary in diflerent constitu,tions. The eye-, liJds are swelled ; ihe ej'cs partial- ly inflamed, and weeping ; a con- stant drowsiness prevails ; and, on the fourth day the pustules appear , J^'Stoa, t^Cj-facCj and gradually ME A spread over the whole bDd3^ The vomiting ceases, but the fever, cough, and difficulty of breathing,.- are increased. In the course of three or four days the pimples as- sume a pale colour, and by the ninth or tenth, are not to be per- ceived. But, the fever, -and other sjraptoms will not abate so early, if the patient be not sufficiently cool : they are sometimes succeed- ed by an alarming apd dangerous looseness, which may tem:(inate in death, unless the strictest attention be paid to the whole state of the- disorder. Cure .-—As the measles are of an inflammatory nature, it will, in some instances, be necessary fli'st. to bleed the patient, especially if. the fever be violent ; though that, operation is, in general, neither necessary nor advisable. In mild cases, it will besufEci-. ent to keep the patient's body open, by means of tamarinds, manna, or other gentle laxatives ; and to supply him frequently vitii barley- water, linseed- tea sweetened w'ith honey, or other cooling and muci- laginous drinks. Considerable be- nefit will result from bathing the feet in warm water ; and, it there be a disposition to vomit, it ought to be promoted by the liberal use of luke- warm water, or chamomile tea. The dry cough will be greatly relieved by gentle opiates, if used with due precaution, in preference to the oily or demulcent draughts given on sttch occasions. Tiie most fatal period of the measles, however, is at the crisis, or turn : should the fever then be^ come violent, and the patient be in danger of sulfocation, relief may. be obtained by repeated venesec- tion and blisters. It, nevertheless, the disorder appear toajied the in-! terior