_October_ 12th. Mr. R----, AEt. 41. A publican, and a hard drinker. His
legs and belly greatly swollen; appetite gone, countenance yellow,
breath very short, and cough troublesome. After a vomit I gave him
calomel, saline draughts, steel and bitters, &c. He had taken the more
usual diuretics before I saw him. As the dropsical symptoms increased,
I changed his medicines for pills made of soap, containing two grains
of Pulv. fol. Digital, in each dose, and, as he was costive, two
grains of jallap. He took them twice a day, and in a week was free
from every appearance of dropsy. The jaundice soon afterwards
vanished, and tonics restored him to perfect health.