ch or bowels
became affected. Upon the exhibition of the sixth dose, nausea
supervened, and continued to oppress him at intervals for two or three
days, during which he passed large quantities of pale urine. The
swelling, assisted by moderate bandage rapidly diminished, and without
any repetition of his medicine, at the expiration of sixteen days, he
returned to his labour perfectly recovered.
OF THE PREPARATIONS and DOSES, OF THE FOXGLOVE.
Every part of the plant has more or less of the same bitter taste,
varying, however, as to strength, and changing with the age of the
plant and the season of the year.
ROOT.--This varies greatly with the age of the plant. When the stem
has shot up for flowering, which it does the second year of its
growth, the root becomes dry, nearly tasteless, and inert.
Some practitioners, who have used the root, and been so happy as to
cure their patients without exciting sickness, have been pleased to
communicate the circumstance to me as an improvement in the use of the
plant. I have no doubt of the truth of their remarks, and I thank
them. But the case of Dr. Cawley puts this matter beyond dispute. The
fact is, they have fortunately happened to use the root in its
approach to its inert state, and consequently have not over dosed
their patients. I could, if necessary, bring other proof to shew that
the root is just as capable as the leaves, of exciting nausea.
STEM.--The stem has more taste than the root has, in the season the
stem shoots out, and less taste than the leaves. I do not know that it
has been particularly selected for use.
LEAVES.--These vary greatly in their efficacy at different seasons of
the year, and, perhaps, at different stages of their growth; but I am
not certain that this variation keeps pace with the greater or lesser
intensity of their bitter taste.
Some who have been habituated to the use of the recent leaves, tell
me, that they answer their purpose at every season of the year; and I
believe them, notwithstanding I myself have found very great
variations in this respect. The solution of this difficulty is
obvious. They have used the leaves in such large proportion, that the
doses have been sufficient, or more than sufficient, even in their
most inefficacious state. _The Leaf-stalks_ seem, in their sensible
properties, to partake of an intermediate state between the leaves and
the stem.
FLOWERS.--The petals, the chives, and the poin
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