_May_ 1st. Mrs. D----, AEt. 72. A thin woman, with very large
anasarcous legs and thighs; no appetite and general debility. After a
month's trial of cordials and diuretics of different kinds, the
surgeon who had scarified her legs apprehended they would mortify; she
had very great pain in them, they were very red and black by places,
and extremely tense. It was evident that unless the tension could be
removed, gangrene must soon ensue. I therefore gave her Infusum
Digitalis, which increased the secretion of urine by the following
evening, so that the great tension began to abate, and together with
it the pain and inflammation. She was so feeble that I dared not to
urge the medicine further, but she occasionally took it at intervals
until the time of her death, which happened a few weeks afterwards.