A BRIEF RULE To guide the Common-People of NEW-ENGLAND How to order themselves and theirs in the Small Pocks, or Measles.  
THe small Pox (whose nature and cure the Measles follow) is a disease in the blood, endeavouring to recover a new form and state.  
2. This nature attempts— 1. By Separation of the impure from the pure, thrusting it out from the Veins to the Flesh.— 2. By driving out the imp●re from the Flesh to the Skin.  
3. The first Separation is done in the first four days by a Feverish boiling (Ebullition) of the Blood, laying down the impurities in the Fleshy parts which kindly effected the Feverish tumult is calmed.  
4. The second Separation from the Flesh to the Skin, or Superficies is done through the rest of the time of the disease.  
5. There are several Errors in ordering these sick ones in both these Operations of Nature which prove very dangerous and commonly deadly either by overmuch hastening Nature beyond its own pace, or in hindering of it from its own vigorous operation.  
6. The Separation by Ebullition in the Feverish heat is over heightened by too much Clothes, too hot a room hot Cordials, as Diascordium, Gascons powder and such like, for hence come Frenzies, dangerous excessive sweats, or the flowing of the Pocks into one overspreading sore, vulgarly called the Flox.  
7. The same separation is overmuch hindered by preposterous cooling that Feverish boiling heat, by blood letting, Glisters, Vomits, purges, or cooling medicines. For though these many times hasten the coming forth of the Pox, yet they take away that supply which should keep them out till they are ripe, wherefore they sink in again to the deadly danger of the sick.  
8. If a Frenzy happen, or through a Plethorie (that is fullness of blood) the Circulation of the blood be hindered, and thereupon the whole mass of blood choked up, than either let blood, Or see that their diet, or medicines be not altogether cooling, but let them in no wise be heating, therefore let him lie no otherwise covered in his bed then he was wont in health: His Chamber not made hot with fire if the weather be temperate, let him drink small Beer only warmed with a Tost, let him sup up thin water-gruel, or water-pottage made only of Indian Flour and water, instead of Oatmeal: Let him eat boiled Apples: But I would not advise at this time any medicine besides. By this means that excessive Ebullition (or boiling of his blood) will by degrees abate, and the Symptoms cease; If not, but the blood be so enraged that it will admit no delay▪ then either let blood (if Age will bear it) or else give some notably cooling medicine, or refresh him with more free Air.  
9 But if the boiling of the blood be weak and dull that there is cause to fear it is not able to work a Separation, as it's wont to be in such as have been let blood, or are fat, or Phlegmatic, or brought low by some other sickness or labour of the (Gonorrhoea) running of the Reins, or some other Evacuation: In such Cases, Cordials must drive them out, or they must die.  
10. In time of driving out the Pocks from the Flesh, here care must be had that the Pustules keep out in a right measure till they have attained their end without going in again, for that is deadly.  
11. In this time take heed when the Pustules appear whilst not yet ripe, lest by too much heat there arise a new Ebullition (or Feverish boiling) for this troubles the driving out, or brings back the separated parts into the blood, or the Fleshy parts overheated are disabled from a right suppuration or lastly the temper of the blood and tone of the Flesh is so perverted that it cannot overcome and digest matter driven out.  
12. Yet on the other hand the breaking out must not be hindered, by exposing the sick unto the cold. The degree of heat must be such as is natural agrees with the temper of the fleshy parts: That which exceeds or falls short is dangerous: Therefore the season of the year, Age of the sick, and their manner of life here require a discreet and different Consideration, requiring the Counsel of an expert Physician.  
13. But if by any error a new Ebullition ariseth, the same art must be used to allay it as is before expressed.  
14. If the Pustles go in and a flux of the belly follows (for else there is no such danger) than Cordials are to be used, yet moderate and not too often for fear of new Ebullition.  
15. If much spitting (Ptyalismus) follow. you may hope all will go well, therefore by no means hinder it: Only with warm small Beer let their mouths be washed.  
16. When the Pustles are dried and fallen, purge well, especially if it be in Autumn.  
17. As soon as this disease therefore appears by its signs, let the sick abstain from Flesh and Wine, and open Air, let him use small Bear warmed with a Tost for his ordinary drink, and moderately when he desires it. For food use water-gruel, water-pottage, and other things having no manifest hot quality, easy of digestion, boiled Apples, and milk sometimes for change, but the coldness taken off. Let the use of his bed be according to the season of the year, and the multitude of the Pocks, or as sound persons are wont. In Summer let him rise according to custom, yet so as to be defended both from heat and cold in Excess, the disease will be the sooner over and less troublesome, for being kept in bed nourisheth the Feverish heat and makes the Pocks break out with a painful inflammation.  
19 In a colder season, and breaking forth of a multitude of Pustules, forcing the sick to keep his bed, let him be covered according to his custom in health, a moderate fire in the winter being kindled in his Chamber, morning and Evening: neither need he keep his Arms always in bed, or lie still in the same place, for fear lest he should sweat which is very dangerous especially to youth.  
20. Before the fourth day use no medicines to drive out, nor be too strict with the sick; for by how much the more gently the Pastules do grow, by so much the fuller and perfecter will the Separation be.  
21. On the fourth day a gentle Cordial may help once given.  
22. From that time a small draught of warm milk (not hot) a little died with Saffron may be given morning and evening till the Pustules are come to their due greatness and ripeness.  
23. When the Pustules begin to dry and crust, lest the rotten vapours strike inward, which sometimes causeth sudden death; Take morning and evening some temperate Cordial as four or five spoonfuls of Malago Wine tinged with a little Saffron.  
24. When the Pustules are dried and fallen off, purge once and again, especially in the Autumn Pocks.  
25. Beware of anointing with Oils, Fats, Ointments, and such defensives, for keeping the corrupted matter in the Pustules from drying up; by the moisture, they fret deeper into the Flesh, and so make the more deep Scars.  
26. The young and lively men that are brought to a plentiful sweat in this sickness, about the eighth day the sweat stops of itself, by no means afterwards to be drawn out again; the sick thereupon feels most troublesome disrest and anguish, and then makes abundance of water and so dies.  
Few young men and strong thus handled escape, except they fall into abundance of spitting or plentiful bleeding at the nose.  
27. Signs discovering the Assault at first are beating pain in the head, Forehead, and temples, pain in the back, great sleepiness, glistering of the eyes, shining glimmerings seem before them, itching of them also, with tears flowing of themselves, itching of the Nose, short breath, dry Cough, oft neezing, hoarseness, heat▪ redness, and sense of pricking over the whole body, terrors in the sleep▪ sorrow and restlessness, beating of the heart, Urine sometimes as in health, sometime filthy from great Ebullition, and all this or many of these with a Feverish distemper.  
28. Signs warning of the probable Event. If they break forth easily, quickly, and soon come to ripening, if the Symptoms be gentle, the Fever mild, and after the breaking forth it abate; If the voice be free, and breathing easy; especially if the Pox be red white distinct, soft few, round, sharp topped▪ only without and not in the inward parts; if there be large bleeding at the nose. These signs are hopeful.  
29. But such signs are doubtful, when they difficultly appear, when they sink in again. when they are black, bluish, green, hard, all in one, if the Fever abate not with their breaking forth. if there be Swooning, difficulty of breathing, great thirst, quinsey, great unquietness, and it is very dangerous, if there be joined with it some other malignant Fever, called by some the pestilential Pox: the Spotted Fever is oft joined with it.  
30 Deadly Signs if the Flux of the Belly happen, when they are broke forth, if the Urine be bloody, or black, or the Ordure of that Colour; Or if pure blood be cast out by the Belly or Gums: These Signs are for the most part deadly.  
These things have I written Candid Reader, not to imform the Learned Physician that hath much more cause to understand what pertains to this disease than I, but to give some light to those that have not such advantages, leaving the difficulty of this disease to the Physician's Art, Wisdom, and Faithfulness: for the right managing of them in the whole Course of the disease tends both to the Patient's safety, and the Physicians disired Success in his Administrations: For in vain is the Physician's Art Employed, if they are not under a Regular Regiment. I am, though no Physician, yet a well wisher to the sick: And therefore entreating the Lord to turn our hearts, and stay his hand, I am▪  
A Friend, Reader to thy Welfare, Thomas Thacher. 21. 11, 1677/8.   

BOSTON, Printed and sold by John Foster. 1677.