_October_ 5th. Mr. R----, AEt. 43. _(The patient mentioned at No.
102.)_ He had pursued his former mode of life, and had now a return of
his complaints, with evident marks of diseased viscera. His belly not
very large, but uncommonly tense. From this circumstance I did not
expect the Digitalis to succeed, and therefore tried for some time to
relieve him by the saline julep, with acet. scillitic. jallap,
mercury, syrup of squill, with aq. cinnam. decoction of Dandelion,
&c.; but these being administered without advantage, I was driven to
the Digitalis. As he was very weak and much emaciated, I only gave two
grains night and morning for five days. As no increase of urine took
place, I used alkaline salt with tinct. cantharides:--This proving
equally unsuccessful, on the 18th, I directed two ounces of the
infusum Digitalis night and morning. This was continued until nausea
took place, but the kidney secretion was not increased. Squill with
opium, deobstruents of different kinds, sublimate solution, fixed
alkaly, tobacco infusion, were now successively tried, but with the
same want of success. The fullness of his belly made it necessary to
tap him, and by repeating this operation he continued alive to the end
of the year.