AND FAMILY DISPENSATORY. | 9 
and muit be repeated according to the ftrength of the patient and the violence of 
the difeafe. A. blifter is likewife to be applied immediately over the part where the 
mott violent pain is. . This not only relieves the pain of the. bowels, but even 
clyfters and. purgative medicines, which before had no effect, will operate Sahin the 
blifter begins to rife. The patient’s feet and legs fhould frequently be bathed in 
warm water, and cloths dipped in it applied to his belly. Bladders filled with 
| warm, water may likewife be applied to the region of the navel, and warm bricks, or 
bottles filled with warm water, to the folesof the feet. If the difeafe does not 
yield to.clyfters and fomentations, recourfe muft be had to pretty trong purgatives ; 
but, as thefe, by irritating the bowels, often increafe their contraction, and by that 
means fruftrate their own intention, it will be neceflary to join them with opiates, 
which, by allaying the pain, and relaxing the fpafmodic contractions of the guts, 
- greatly affift the operation of purgatives in this.cafe. What anfwers the purpofe of 
opening the body very well, isa folution of the bitter purging falts.. Two.ounces 
of thefe may be diffolved in an Englith pint of warm water, or thin gruel, anda 
tea-cupful of it taken every half-hour till it operates.. At the fame time fifteen, | 
twenty, or twenty-five, drops of laudanum may be given ina glafs of pepper-mint 
or fimple cinnamon-water, to appeafe the irritation, and prevent the vomiting, dc. 
But it often happens that no liquid whatever will ftay on the. ftomach, In this 
cafe, the patient mutt take purging pills. .I have .generally found the follow- 
ing anfwer very well: Take jalap in powder, and yvitriolated tartar, of each 
half a drachm ; opium.one grain ; Caftilefoap as much as will make the mais fic 
for pills. Thefe muft be taken at one. dofe; and, if they do not operate in a few 
hours, the, dofe may be repeated, It a ftool cannot be procured by any of the 
above means, it will be neceffary to immerfe the patient in warm water up to the 
breaft. This often fucceeds when. other means have been tried in vain. The pas 
tient mutt continue in the water as longashe caneafily bear it without fainting ; and, 
 ifone immerfion has not the defired effect, it may be repeated as foon as the pa- 
tient’s ftrength and fpirits are recruited. Ie is more fafe for him to go frequently 
into the bath than to.continue too long at a time,s..and itisjoften neceflary, to repeat 
it feveral times before it has the defired effect, In defperatecafes.it is common to 
-& 
give quickfilver. This may be given to the quantity of feveral ounces, or even a 
pound, but should not exceed that. ‘When there is reafon to fufpect a morti 
of the guts, this medicine ought not to be tried. In that cafe it cannot cure hells 
tient, and willonly, haften his death. But, when the obftruction i is occafioned ay 
any caufe that can. be removed by force, quickfilver is not only a proper med CINE, e 
: but the beft that can be adminiftered, as it is the fitteft body we know for aki ig 
Qa 7 os ~ 
