RULES and CAUTIONS. 187 
tity as their appetite for drink demands. ‘This di- 
rection is the more neceffary, as they are very ge- 
nerally prepoffeffed with an idea of drying up a 
dropfy, by abftinence from liquids, and fear to add 
to the difeafe, by imdulging their inclination to 
In cafes of afcites and anafarca ; when the pa- 
tients are weak, and the evacuation of the water 
rapid ; the ufe of proper bandage is indifpenfably 
neceflary to their fafety. 
If the water fhould not be wholly evacuated, 
it is beft to allow an interval of feveral days before 
the medicine be r ted. _that food and tonics may 
be adminiftered ; but truth compels 1 me to fay, that 
the ufual tonic medicines have in thefe cafes = 
often deceived my expectations. ‘ 
fom fome cafes which have nested in the 
courfe of the prefent year, I am difpofed to believe 
that. the Digitalis may be given in fmall dofes, viz. 
two or three grains a day, fo as gradually to remove 
a dropfy, without any other than mild diuretic ef 
feéts, and without any interruption to ‘its ufe until 
the cure be alga z 
se ee the dofes of the Foxglove thould 
is. prefcribed too largely, exhibited too rapidly, or 
urged to too great a length; the knowledge of a 
marys to counteract its effects would be a defirable 
thing. — | 
