216 ORD. XII. Sotanacew, seu Luride.  NIcoTIANA TARACTM. 
© Tt is well known, that in cases of obstinate costiveness, in ileus 
‘and incarcerated hernia, the smoke of burning tobacco has been 
“ thrown into the anus with great advantage. The smoke operates 
* here by the same qualities that are in the infusions of it above 
“mentioned; but as the smoke reaches miich further into the intes~ 
* tines than injections can commonly do, it is thereby applied to a 
* Jarger surface, and may therefore be a more powerful medicine 
«than the infusions. In several instances, however, I have been 
“ disappointed of its effects, and have been obliged to have recourse 
“to other means. 
«« The infusion of tobacco, when it is carried into the blood-ves- 
« sels, has sometimes shown its stimulant powers exerted in the kid- 
“ neys; and yery lately we have had it recommended to us asa 
“ powerful diuretic of great service in dropsy. Upon the faith of - 
* these recommendations we have now employed this remedy in 
* various cases of dropsy, but with very little success. From the 
** small doses that are proper to begin with, we have hardly observed 
* any diuretic effects; and though from larger doses they have in 
some measure appeared, we have seldom found them consider- 
* able: and when, to obtain these in a greater degree, we have 
* gone on increasing the doses, we have been constantly restrained 
«* by the severe sickness at stomach, and even vomiting, which they: 
* occasioned: so that we have not yet learned the administration of 
this remedy so as to render it a certain or convenient remedy in 
‘any cases of dropsy. 
« The same circumstances have occurred to several other practi- 
 tioners of this city and neighbourhood; and of late the trials of it 
“‘ have been very generally omitted, owing perhaps to our practi- 
* tioners being directed at the same time to the use of the digitalis, 
** with which they have had some more success. 
«From some experiments we are certain that tobacco contains a 
* quantity of volatile parts that may be dissipated by long boiling 
‘in water; and that by such a practice its emetic, purgative, and 
“narcotic qualities may be greatly diminished; and we are of 
BEC onthe ge = 
