ticle Digitalis, written, I believe, by a Mr.
Saunders, who practised for many years with great reputation as a
surgeon and apothecary at Stourbridge, in Worcestershire.

"Consumptions are cured infallibly by weak decoction of Foxglove
leaves in water, or wine and water, and drank for constant drink. Or
take of the juice of the herb and flowers, clarify it, and make a fine
syrup with honey, of which take three spoonfuls thrice in a day, at
physical hours. The use of these two things of late has done, in
consumptive cases, great wonders. But be cautious of its use, for it
is of a vomiting nature. In these things begin sparingly, and increase
the dose as the patient's strength will bear, least, instead of a
sovereign medicine, you do real damage by this infusion or syrup."

The precautions annexed to his encomiums of this medicine, lead one to
think that he has spoken from his own proper experience.

I have lately been told, that a person in the neighbourhood of
Warwick, possesses a famous family receipt for the dropsy, in which
the Foxglove is the active medicine; and a lady from the western part
of Yorkshire assures me, that the people in her country often cure
themselves of dropsical complaints by drinking Foxglove tea. In
confirmation of this, I recollect about two years ago being desired to
visit a travelling Yorkshire tradesman. I found him incessantly
vomiting, his vision indistinct, his pulse forty in a minute. Upon
enquiry it came out, that his wife had stewed a large handful of green
Foxglove leaves in half a pint of water, and given him the liquor,
which he drank at one draught, in order to cure him of an asthmatic
affection. This good woman knew the medicine of her country, but not
the dose of it, for her husband narrowly escaped with his life.

It is probable that this rude mode of exhibiting the Foxglove has been
more general than I am at present aware of; but it is wonderful that
no author seems to have been acquainted with its effects as a
diuretic.

CASES,

In which the Digitalis was given by the
Direction of the Author.

1775.

It was in the course of this year that I began to use the Digitalis in
dropsical cases. The patients were such as applied at my house for
advice gratis. I cannot pretend to charge my memory with particular
cases, or particular effects, and I had not leisure to m