14th DAY. _Pot. purg. c. jalap. [Symbol: dram]ss. 4tis diebus._
_Infus. Dig. 3tiis diebus._
17th DAY. _R. Gamb. gr. iii. calom. gr. ii. camph.
gr. i. syr. simpl. fiat pil. o. n. sum._
_Infus. Digit. 3tiis diebus._
21st DAY. Made an out-patient. The super-abundant flow of urine
continued for the first three days after his last course; but since,
the flow of saliva has been nearly equal to that of urine.
The smalls of his legs not quite reduced, and are fuller at night. He
has shrunk round the middle from four feet two inches to three feet
six inches; and in the calves of his legs, from seventeen inches to
thirteen and a half.[10]
[Footnote 10: In the three last recited cases, the medicine
was directed in doses quite too strong, and repeated too
frequently. If Esther K---- could have survived the extreme
sickness, the diuretic effects would probably have taken
place, and, from her time of life, I should have expected a
recovery. Wm. T---- seems to have been a bad case, and I
think would not have been cured under any management. G.
R---- certainly possessed a good constitution, or he must
have shared the fate of the other two.]
OBS. The waters were here very successfully evacuated, but as you
remarked to me, on communicating the case to you at the time, tonic
medicines should have been given, to second the ground that had been
gained, instead of weakening the patient by drastic purgatives.
A CASE from Mr. SHAW, Surgeon, at
Stourbridge.--Communicated by Doctor STOKES.
Matth. D----, AEt. 71. Tall and thin. Disease a general anasarca, with
great difficulty of breathing. The lac ammoniac. somewhat relieved his
breath; but the swellings increased, and his urine was not augmented.
I considered it as a lost case, but having seen the good effects of
the Digitalis, as ordered by Dr. Stokes in the case of Mrs. G----, I
gave him one spoonful of an infusion of [Symbol: dram]ii to half a
pint, twice a day. His breath became much easier, his urine increased
considerably, and the swellings gradually disappeared; since which his
health has been pretty good, except that about three weeks ago, he had
a slight dyspnoea, with pain in his stomach, which were soon removed
by a repetition of the same medicine.
Mr. Shaw likewise informs me, that he has removed pains in the stomach
and bowels, by giving a spoonful of the infusion, [Symbol: dram]iss.
to [Symbol: ounce]viii. morning and night.
A Letter from Mr. VAUX, Surgeon, in Birmingham.
Dear SIR,
I send you the two following cases, wherein the Digitalis had very
powerful and sensible effects, in the cure of the different patients.