306 Memoirs of Erasmus Darunn, M.D. 



Dr. Darw'm relates a remarkable cure of bleeding piles. — 



Mrs. had for twelve or fifteen years, ai intervals of 



a y*car or less, a bleeding from the rectum without pain ; 

 which, however, stopped spontaneously after she became 

 weakened, or by the use of injections of brandy and water. 

 Lately the bleeding continued above two months, in the 

 quantity of many ounces a day, till she became pale and 

 fbeble to an alarming degree. Injections of solutions of lead, 

 of bark, and salt of steel, and of turpentine, with some in- 

 ternal astrmgenis and opiates, were used in vain. An in- 

 jection of the smoke of tobacco, with ten grains of opium 

 Hnixed with the tobacco, was used, but without effect the 

 two first times on account of the imperfection of the ma- 

 chine : on the third time it produced great sickness and 

 vertigo, and nearly a fainting fit; from which time the blood 

 entirely stopped. Was this owing to a fungous excrescence 

 in the rectum ; or to a blood-vessel being burst from the 

 difficulty of the blood passing through the vena porta from 

 some hepatic obstruction, and which had continued toljlced 

 so long ? — Was it stopped at last by the fainting fit ? or by 

 the stimulus ot the tobacco ? 



His method of curing spitting of blood is equally new and 

 extraordinary. — Venous haemoptoe frequently attends the 

 begiuninsf of the hereditary consumptions of dark-eyed peo- 

 ple; and in others, whose lungs have too little irritability. 

 These spittings of blood are generally in very small quantity, 

 as a tea-spoonful ; and return at first periodically, as about 

 once a month ; and are less dangerous in the female than 

 in the male sex, as in the former they are often relieved by 

 the natural periods of the menses. Many of these patients 

 are attacked with this pulmonary haemorrhage in their first 

 sleep; because in feeble people the power of volition is ne- 

 cessary, besides that of irritation, to carry on respiration 

 perfectly; but, as volition is suspended during sleep, apart 

 of the blood is delayed in the vessels of the lungs, and in 

 consequence effused, and the patient awakes from the dis- 

 aiireeahle eensation. 



M. M. Wake the patient every two or three hours by an 

 alarum clock. Give half a grain of opium at going to bed, 



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