S---- D----, a middle aged single woman, was affected in the year
eighty-one, with a painful rigidity and slight inflammation of the
integuments on the left side, extending from the ear to the shoulder.
In every other particular she was healthy. The use of warm
fomentations, and opium, with two or three doses of mercurial physic,
afforded her ease and the inflammation disappeared, but was succeeded
by an oedematous swelling of the part, which very gradually extended
along the arm, and downward to the breast, back, and belly. Friction,
electricity and mercurial ointment were amongst the number of
applications unsuccessfully employed to relieve her for the space of
three months, during which time she continued in good general health.
In _November_ she became ascitic, passing small quantities of urine,
and soon afterwards a sudden dyspnoea gave occasion to suppose an
effusion of water in the thorax. The Digitalis, squills, and
cantharides were given in very considerable doses without effect. She
died the latter end of December following.