_November_ 1st. Sunday, 6
2d. Monday, 8
3d. Tuesday, 8
4th. Wednesday, 7
5th. Thursday, 8

On Wednesday he began to purge, and the purging still continues, but
his appetite is better than he has known it for a long time. No
swelling remains but about his ancles, extending at night half way up
his legs.

Omit all medicines at present.

7th. Saturday, 71/2 half pints.
8th. Sunday, 8
9th. Monday, 63/4
10th. Tuesday, 61/2
11th. Wednesday, 6
12th. Thursday, 61/4

On Tuesday the 17th, some swelling still remained about his ancles,
but he was in every other respect perfectly well.

He took a few more doses of the infusion, and no other medicine.

CASE XIX.

_December_ 8th. W---- B----, AEt. 60. A hard drinker. Diseased viscera;
ascites and anasarca. An infusion of Digitalis was directed, but it
had no other effect than to make him sick.

1779.

In the beginning of this year we had many dropsies in children, who
had suffered from the Scarlatina Anginosa; they all yielded very
readily to the Digitalis, but in some the medicine purged, and then it
did not prove diuretic, nor did it remove the dropsy until opium was
joined with it, so as to prevent it purging.--I did not keep notes of
these cases, but I do not recollect a single instance in which the
Digitalis failed to effect a cure.

CASE XX.

_January_ 1st. Mr. H----. Hydrops Pectoris; legs and thighs
prodigiously anasarcous; a very distressing sense of fulness and
tightness across his stomach; urine in small quantity; pulse
intermitting; breath very short.

He had taken various medicines, and been blistered, but without
relief. His complaints continuing to increase, I directed an infusion
of Digitalis, which made him very sick; acted powerfully as a
diuretic, and removed all his symptoms.

About three months afterwards he was out upon a journey, and, after
taking cold, was suddenly seized with difficulty of breathing, and
violent palpitation of his heart: he sent for me, and I ordered the
infusion as before, which very soon removed his complaints. He is now
active and well; but, whenever he takes cold, finds some return of
difficult breathing, which he soon removes by a dose or