Part 6

CASE VIII.

March 11th. Mrs. H----, Æt. 32. A few days after a tedious labour, had her legs and thighs swelled to a very great degree; pale and semi-transparent, with pain in both groins. After a purge of calomel and rhubarb, ung. merc. was ordered to be rubbed upon the groins, and the following decoction was directed:

R. Fol. Digital. purp. recent. [Symbol: ounce]ii. Aq. puræ. [Symbol: pound]i. coque ad [Symbol: pound]iss et colatur. adde. Aq. cinn. sp. [Symbol: ounce]iv. M. capiat. cyath. vinos. parv. bis quotidie.

The decoction presently increased the secretion of urine, and abated the distension of the legs: in a fortnight the swelling was gone; but some days after leaving her bed, her legs swelled again about the ancles, which was removed by another bottle of the decoction on the 21st of April.

CASE IX.

March 29th. Mr. G----, Æt. 47. Very much deformed; asthma of several years continuance, but now dropsical to a great degree. Took several medicines without relief, and then tried the Digitalis, but with no better success.

CASE X.

April 10th. G--G----, Æt. 70. Asthma and anasarca. Took a decoction of the fresh leaves of the Digitalis, which produced violent sickness, but no immediate evacuation of water. After the sickness had ceased altogether, the urine began to flow copiously, and he was cured.

CASE XI.

July 10th. Mr. M---- of T----, Æt. 54. A very hard drinker; had been affected since November last with ascites and anasarca, for which he had taken several medicines without benefit. A decoction of the recent leaves of the Digitalis was then directed, an ounce and half to a pint, one eighth of which I ordered to be given every fourth hour. A few doses brought on great nausea, indistinct vision, and a great flow of urine, so as presently to empty him of all the dropsical water. Indeed the evacuation was so rapid and so complete, that it became necessary to apply a bandage round the belly, and to support him with cordials.

In something more than a year and a half, his dropsy returned, but the Digitalis did not then succeed to our wishes. In August, 1779, he was tapped, and lived afterwards only about five weeks.

For more particulars, see the extract of a letter from Mr. Lyon.

CASE XII.

September 12th. Miss C---- of T----, Æt 48. An ovarium dropsy, and anasarcous legs and thighs. For three months in the beginning of this year she had been under the care of Dr. Darwin, who at different times had given her blue vitriol, elaterium, and calomel; decoction of pareira brava, and guiacum wood, with tincture of cantharides; oxymel of squills, decoction of parsley roots, &c. Finding no relief, she discontinued the use of medicines, until the urgency of her symptoms induced her to ask my advice about the end of August. She was greatly emaciated, and had almost a total loss of appetite. I first tried small doses of Merc. sublim. corr. in solution, with decoction of burdock roots, and blisters to the thighs. No advantage attending the use of this plan, I directed a decoction of Fol. Digit. a dram and half to a pint; one ounce to be taken twice a day. It presently reduced the anasarcous swellings, but made no alteration in the distension of the abdomen.

CASE XIII.

October 9th. Mrs. B----, Æt. 40. An ovarium dropsy. Took a decoction of Digitalis without effect. Her life was preserved for some years by repeated tapping.

1778.

CASE XIV.

February 8th. Mr. R---- of K----. Had formerly suffered much from gout, and lived very intemperately. Jaundiced countenance; ascites; legs and thighs greatly swollen; appetite none; extremely weak; confined to his bed. Had taken many medicines from his apothecary without advantage. I ordered him decoction of Digitalis, and a cordial; but he survived only a few days.

CASE XV.

March 13th. Mr. M----, Æt. 54. A thorax greatly deformed; asthma through the winter, succeeded by dropsy in belly and legs. Pulse very small; face leaden coloured; cough almost continual. Decoction of seneka was directed, and small doses of Dover's powder at night.

17th. Gum-ammoniac and squill, with elixir paregor. at night.--26th, Squill and decoction of seneka.--30th, His complaints still increasing, decoction of Digitalis was then directed, which relieved him in a few days; but his complaints returned again, and he died in the month of June.

CASE XVI.

August 18th. Mr. B----, Æt. 33. Pulmonary consumption and dropsy. The Digitalis, and that failing, other diuretics were used, in hopes of gaining some relief from the distress occasioned by the dropsical symptoms; but none of them were effectual. He was then attended by another physician, and died in about two months.

CASE XVII.

September 21st. Mrs. M---- W---- G----, Æt. 50. An ovarium dropsy. She took half a pint of Infus. Digitalis, which made her sick, but did not increase the quantity of urine. She was afterwards relieved by tapping.

CASE XVIII.

October 28th. R---- W----, Æt. 33. Ascites and universal anasarca; countenance quite pale and bloated; appetite none, and the little food he forces down is generally rejected.