EXTERNAL APPLICATION OF VERATRIA, ETC. 23 
of medicine was prescribed, consisting of purgatives combined with 
antacids, for the purpose of clearing out the bowels and removin 
the distension of the abdomen. These means were employed alone, 
for about a week, and then, with the addition of a little squill to the 
pills previously ordered, it was persevered in for a fortnight longer ; 
at the end of which time he felt considerably better. The swelling 
_ In the legs had diminished, the digestion was improved, and, altoge- 
gether, he was in a more favourable state of health than before. 
During the previous treatment of this case, counter-irritation, b 
means of blisters, issues, tartar emetic ointment, &c., had been freely 
employed, and with so little effect, further than bringing about a 
temporary alleviation, that the patient would, on no account, consent 
to their repetition now, and he was therefore recommended to make 
use of the Veratria ointment, but certainly without any great expec- 
tations of its producing a beneficial effect. oe 
An ointment of the usual proportions was ordered to be rubbed, 
for five minutes, night and morning, over the region of the heart ; 
and, in the course of three days, the feeling of pain and constriction 
across the chest had disappeared. As the pain in the left arm still 
remained, he was ordered to use frictions with the ointment to it 
also, and almost immediate relief from that symptom followed the 
application. _ In the course of a fortnight from the time the Veratria 
was had recourse to, the most decidedly beneficial effects had been 
produced upon the disease: the pulse and action of the heart had 
become much more regular and natural, the difficulty of breathing 
had very much diminished, the complexion was completely changed, 
and exhibited signs of an unimpeded circulation: and this improve- 
ment went on gradually, under the occasional use of the ointment, 
along with a little medicine to act upon the bowels, so that, in about 
six weeks he could walk about, and go up and down stairs without 
inconvenience. As this case was one in which a cure could not be 
expected, the patient was left to himself with directions to rub the 
ointment whenever a return of pain. or uneasiness rendered its 
employment necessary. This, he accordingly does, and by its means, 
is enabled to pursue his avocations with ease and comfort. Before 
taking leave of this case it is proper to state, that it was one of those 
in which the Veratria exerted its peculiar diuretic effects; for, 
during the first week it was used, no less than six pints of urine a 
day were evacuated by the patient. 
CASE VI. 
Mrs. C., a lady betwixt fifty and sixty years of age, has been ill 
about nine years. During the first three she suffered from dyspepsia 
and irregularity of the bowels, and, for six years, she has been affec- 
ted with almost constant palpitation and difficulty of breathing ; 
which symptoms she describes as having been on the increase, until 
at last she was obliged to confine herself to one floor of the house, 
