_July_ 18th. Mrs. B----, AEt. 46. A little woman, and very much
deformed. Asthmatical for many years. For several months past had been
worse than usual; appetite totally gone, legs swollen, sense of great
fulness about her stomach, countenance fallen, lips livid, could not
lie down.
The usual modes of practice failing, the Digitalis was tried, but with
no better success, and in about a month she died; not without
suspicion of her death having been accelerated a few days, by her
taking half a grain of opium. This may be a caution to young
practitioners to be careful how they venture upon even small doses of
opium in such constitutions, however much they may be urged by the
patient to prescribe something that may procure a little rest and
ease.