f Medicines, he
had found nothing give more Relief, or contribute more to the Cure,
than repeated Doses of these Salts.

As a great Part of the Cure depended on the frequent Use of gentle
Purges[36] in the Beginning, to carry off the corrupted Humours; the
Purgative was repeated every second, third, or fourth Day, as the Case
required; the Operation of the former Purge, and the Symptoms,
determining the Frequency of the Repetition. It was surprising with
how little Loss of Strength the Sick bore the Operation of these
Purges; I have sometimes given them to strong People every Day, for
two, three, or four Days successively; and observed that the Patient,
instead of being weakened, seemed stronger, and more brisk and lively,
after the Operation of each, from the Relief it gave; by evacuating
those putrid, corrupted Humours, which kept him perpetually sick and
uneasy, while they remained within the Bowels.

[36] Variety of Medicines have been recommended to answer
this Purpose.

The _vitrum ceratum antimonii_ proved often too rough a
Medicine, and therefore we laid it almost entirely aside.

Repeated small Doses of the Ipecacuana, from four to six
Grains, operated both as an Emetic, and kept up a Purging;
but they made the Men so sick, that we could not prevail upon
them to continue their Use. Mr. _Francis Russel_ told me,
that, in the Year 1756, he found a few Grains of Rhubarb
added to each Dose, made it operate more as a Purgative, and
did not make the Men so sick.--Dr. _Akenside_ proposes giving
the Ipecacuana in so small Doses as one or two Grains every
six Hours, in a Draught made of Mint-water, and Half a Drachm
of _confectio cardiaca_; and, after bleeding and vomiting
once, seems to depend almost entirely on the Use of this
Medicine for the Cure of the Dysentery. See his _Comment. de
Dysenteria_, cap. 2.

The watery Tincture of Rhubarb, recommended by _Degnerus_, we
tried in some Cases at Bremen; and found it to be a good mild
Purge, but not to answer so well as the Salts and Manna in
recent Cases. Mr. _William Russel_ told me that they found
this watery Tincture of Rhubarb to answer better in _America_
than any other of the Preparations of Rhubarb.

Calomel has been recommended by many as a Purge in
Dysenteries; and Dr. _Huxham_ (_de Aere_, Vol. II. P. 100)
assures us, that he has often experienced the