antities for the two preceding days. He was affected with
frequent diarrhoea. The pulse was very quick and small, and his
extremities cold.
A small quantity of broth was directed to be given him every half
hour, and blisters were applied to the ancles, by which his symptoms
became gradually alleviated, and he recovered perfectly in the space
of three weeks; except a relapse of the anasarca, for which the
Digitalis was afterwards successfully employed, in small doses,
without any disagreeable consequence.
CASE VII.
S---- D----, a middle aged single woman, was affected in the year
eighty-one, with a painful rigidity and slight inflammation of the
integuments on the left side, extending from the ear to the shoulder.
In every other particular she was healthy. The use of warm
fomentations, and opium, with two or three doses of mercurial physic,
afforded her ease and the inflammation disappeared, but was succeeded
by an oedematous swelling of the part, which very gradually extended
along the arm, and downward to the breast, back, and belly. Friction,
electricity and mercurial ointment were amongst the number of
applications unsuccessfully employed to relieve her for the space of
three months, during which time she continued in good general health.
In _November_ she became ascitic, passing small quantities of urine,
and soon afterwards a sudden dyspnoea gave occasion to suppose an
effusion of water in the thorax. The Digitalis, squills, and
cantharides were given in very considerable doses without effect. She
died the latter end of December following.
CASE VIII.
W---- C----, a collier aged 58, was attacked in the spring of 1783
with a tertian ague, which he attributed to cold, by sleeping in a
coal pit, and from which he recovered in a few days, except a
swelling of the lower extremities, which had appeared about that time,
and gradually increased for two or three months. The legs and thighs
were greatly enlarged and oedematous. His belly was swelled, but no
fluctuation perceptible. He made small quantities of high coloured
water. The appetite bad, and pulse feeble. He had taken many medicines
without relief, and was now so reduced in strength, as to sit up with
difficulty. An infusion of the Digitalis was directed for him, in the
proportion of one ounce of the fresh leaves to a pint of water, two
ounces to be taken three times a day, until the stoma
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