.
_July_ 5th. Mr. C----, of W----, AEt. 28. Had drank very freely both of
ale and spirits; and in consequence had an ascites, very large legs,
and great fulness about the stomach. He was ordered to take the
Infusion of Digitalis night and morning for a few days, and then to
keep his bowels open with chrystals of tartar. The first half pint of
infusion relieved him greatly; after an interval of a fortnight it was
repeated, and he got well without any other medicine, only continuing
the chrystals of tartar occasionally. I forgot to mention that this
gentleman, before I saw him, had been for two months under the care of
a very celebrated physician, by whose direction he had taken
mercurials, bitters, squills, alkaline salts, and other things, but
without much advantage.
CASE XCV.
_March_ 6th. Mrs. W----, AEt. 36. In the last stage of a pulmonary
consumption, took the Infus. Digitalis, but without any advantage.
CASE XCVI.
_August_ 20th. Mr. P----, AEt. 43. In the year 1781 he had a severe
peripneumony, from which he recovered with difficulty. At the date of
this, when he first consulted me, the symptoms of hydrothorax were
pretty obvious. I directed a purge, and then the Infusum Digitalis,
three drams to half a pint, one ounce to be taken every four hours. It
made him sick, and occasioned a copious discharge of urine. His
complaints immediately vanished, and he remains in perfect health.
CASE XCVII.
_September_ 24th. Mrs. R----, of B----, AEt. 35, the mother of many
children. After her last lying in, three months ago, had that kind of
swelling in one of her legs which is mentioned at No. VIII. XXVI, and
XXXI. A considerable degree of swelling still remained; the limb was
heavy to her feeling, and not devoid of pain. I directed a bolus of
five grains of Pulv. Digitalis, and twenty-five of crude quicksilver
rubbed down, with conserve of cynosbat. to be taken at bed-time, and
afterwards an Infusion of red bark and Fol. Digitalis to be taken
twice a day. There was half an ounce of bark and half a dram of the
leaves in a pint infusion: the dose two ounces.
The leg soon began to mend, and two pints of the infusion finished the
cure.
CASE XCVIII.
_September_ 25th. Mr. R----, AEt. 60. Complained to me of a sickness
after eating, and for some weeks past he had thrown up all his food,
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