~ aie 
: ee ~ 
BOTANIC PHYSICIAN. : eat 
the tonic tincture, sulphur, gum guiaiacum, grains of paradise, the 
clove jelly, &c. A compound of the bark of white wood, boxwood, 
wild cherry, and prickly ash, of each one handful, and horse radish 
roots and mustard seed, each two ounces, and a handful of hops—_ 
dla din a gallon of cider, is excellent in this disease. The dose 
is @ wine glass full three times a day. BES tes = 3 
- _DROPsy, 
Ps oo Se ey Saas é je 3 
~The dropsy is a preternatural swelling of the whole body, or.some 
part of it, occasioned by a collection of watery humor, or serum,— 
This may be effused under the cellular membrane, in the legs merely, 
or throughout the system; or it may be confined to particular 
parts, or cayities, as the abdomen, chest, brain, ovaria, womb, &e. 
‘5 lymph, is contained in_dittle vessels in distinct cells, like 
a bunch of grapes, they are called hydatids. = gir 
__ There is another species of dropsy called tympanites, which con- | 
sists of rarified vapor, or putrid fat collected in the belly. This may 
be known by the tightness of the skin; the belly, if struck, sounds 
like a drum, from whence its name; no fluctuation of water can be 
_ perceived. 
eee 
° 
Cavuses,—Drinking ardent spirits—It is true, almost toa proverb, — 
that hard drinkers die of a dropsy ; sloth; excessive evacuations, as 
zt nt ar d copious bleedings, strong purges often repeated, frequent 
salivations; the sudden stoppage of any customary evacuation, as 
the menses, piles. es 
The dropsy may proceed from whatever causes a relaxation of the 
absorbents, so that the fluids are not taken up and secreted, but ef- 
fused into the soft parts of the body. This may be occasioned by. 
weak watery food or liquors ; long continued agues, especially where 
quinine has been administered } Jaundice, schirrus of the liver, sear- 
let fever, diarrhea, dysentery, consumption. It is more common in 
low, damp, or marshy situations, In short, whatever obstructs per= 
spirations, or prevents the blood from being duly prepared, may oc- 
casion a dropsy. 
_ Symproms.—T he universal dropsy generally begins with a swell- 
ing of the feet and ancles towards night, which for some time disap- 
ears in the morning.. In the evening, the parts if pressed with the 
er, will pit. ‘I'he swelling radually ascends, and occupies the 
runk of the body, the arms, and the head. Afterwards the breath 
ing becomes difficult, the urine is small in quantity, and the thirst 
he 3 the body is bound and the perspiration is greatly 0 cted. 
0 these succéed torpor, heaviness, a slow wasting fever, and a 
tickling, troublesome cough. ‘This last is generally a fatal symp- 
tom, as it shews the lungs to be affected. fe satis 
In dropsy of the belly, besides the above symptoms, there is a 
swelling of the belly, | often a fluctuation, which may be perceiv- 
ed by striking the belly on one side, and laying the palm of the han 
on the opposite. 
