drink
too much.

CASE CXXXVI.

_August_ 6th. Mr. M---- of C----, AEt. 44. Ascites and anasarca,
preceded by symptoms of the epileptic kind. He was ordered to take two
grains of pulv. Digitalis every morning, and three every night;
likewise a saline draught with syrup of squills, every day at noon.
His complaints soon yielded to this treatment, but in the month of
November following he relapsed, and again asked my advice. The
Digitalis alone was now prescribed, which proved as efficacious as in
the first trial. He then took bitters twice a day, and vitriolic acid
night and morning, and now enjoys good health.

Before the Digitalis was prescribed, he had taken jallap purges,
soluble tartar, salt of steel, vitriol of copper, &c.

CASE CXXXVII.

_August_ 10th. Mrs. W----, AEt. 55. An anasarcous leg, and sciatica;
full habit. After bleeding and a purge, a blister was applied in the
manner recommended by Cotunnius; and two grains of fol. Digital. with
fifteen of fol. cicutae were directed to be taken night and morning.
The medicine acted only as a diuretic; the pain and swelling of the
limb gradually abated; and I have not heard of any return.

I must here bear witness to the efficacy of Cotunnius's method of
blistering in the sciatica, having used it in a great number of cases,
and generally with success.

CASE CXXXVIII.

_August_ 16th. Mrs. A---- of S----, AEt. 78. About the middle of Summer
began to complain of short breath, great debility, and loss of
appetite. At this time there were evident marks of effusion in the
thorax, and some swelling in the legs. The advanced age, the weakness,
and other circumstances of this patient, precluded every idea of her
recovery; but something was to be attempted. Squills and other
remedies had been tried; I therefore directed pills with two or three
grains of the pulv. Digitalis to be taken every night for six nights,
and a saline draught with forty drops of acetum scillit. twice in the
day. She took but few of the draughts, seldom more than half one at a
time, for they purged her, and she disliked them. The pills she took
regularly, and with the happiest effect, for she could lie down, her
breath was very much relieved, and a degree of appetite returned.
_Sept._ 4th, some return of her symptoms demanded the further use of
diuretics. I was afraid to push the Digitalis in so hazardous a