EPI. | 128 
excruciating tormina. For this purpose the ex- 
perience of the East is in favour of nitric acid, 
rather than flies. Their power of inducing sleep 
here, I have often observed conspicuous, after ~ 
opium had failed to produce it. Occasionally it 
does happen that the extremities afford the best 
sites for their operation, and there I have often 
applied them beneficially. ‘These have chiefly been 
chronic cases. It is not uncommon to find them 
recommended in cholera-morbus. Here I prefer 
to them, stimulating pungent aromatics. Applied 
to the wrists and ankles they check diarrhea. 
In chronic rheumatism; and after the high action has 
been subdued in acute inflammatory cases, they are 
important remedies, as the experience of every 
practitioner can attest. But in gout [ am not 
able to say as much. In my own practice they 
have done no good here; but very high authority 
is not wanting, in favour of their efficacy. It is 
however declared thatin misplaced arthritic ac- 
tion, they are serviceable on the part affected. 
In phrenitis, they are important, applied to the 
head ; in apoplexy to the spine and extremities, 
in delirium of low fevers, to the nape of the neck 
and often to the whole scalp. In the early stage 
of mania, and with circumspection, they do good, 
but when the disease is somewhat chronic they are 
unavailing though often perseveringly used to 
the head. In chronic insanity I have seen them 
much employed by Dr. Rush, while I was resi- 
dent physician of the Pennsylvania Hospital; — 
but I never could consider them in any other light 
than prejudicial. I have often been surprised to _ 
observe how manifestly hurtful they were, and — 
how frequently nearly as bad, in cases of mania, — 
often aggravating the symptoms, even after free 
bleeding always directed by Dr. Rush. In hyste~ 
