June 4th. Mrs. S——, of W——, Æt 49. Ascites and anasarca. Had taken many medicines; first from her apothecary, afterwards by the direction of a very judicious and very celebrated physician, but nothing retarded the increase of the dropsy. I first saw her along with the physician mentioned above, on the 14th of May; we directed an electuary of chrystals of tartar, and Seltzer water for common drink; this plan failing, as others had done before, we ordered the Infus. Digital. which in a few days nearly removed the dropsy. I then left her to the care of her physician; but her constitution was too much impaired to admit of restoration to health, and I understand she died a few weeks afterwards.
CASE XXXIX.
June 13th. Mr. P——, Æt. 35. A very hard drinker, was attacked with a severe hæmoptoe, which was followed by ascites and anasarca. He had every appearance of diseased viscera, and his urine was small in quantity. The powder and the infusion of Digitalis were given at different times, but without the desired effect. Other medicines were tried, but in vain. Tapping prolonged his existence a few weeks, and he died early in the following autumn.
CASE XL.
June 27th. Mr. W——, Æt. 37. An apparently asthmatic affection, gradually increasing for three or four years, which not yielding to the usual remedies, he took the infusion of Digitalis. Two or three doses made him very sick; but he thought his breathing relieved. After one week he took it again, and was so much better as to want no other medicine.
In the course of the following winter he became hectic, and died consumptive about a year afterwards.
CASE XLI.
July 6th. Mr. E——, Æt. 57. Hydrothorax and anasarca; his breath so short that he could not lie down. After a trial of squill, fixed alkaly, and dulcified spirit of nitre, I directed Pulv. Digital. gr. 2, thrice a day. In four days he was able to come down stairs; in three days more no appearance of disease remained; and under the use of aromatics and small doses of opium, he soon recovered his strength.
CASE XLII.
July 7th. Miss H—— of T——, Æt. 39. In the last stage of a phthisis pulmonalis became dropsical. She took the Digitalis without being relieved.