of the Hypericum Perforatum. 55 



fects of a common medicinal plant, in a very trouble- 

 some disease. I will not pretend to assign the ra- 

 tionale of the effects produced by this plant, * * * 



Between two and three weeks since, I took cold, 

 by being exposed to the night-air, for a considerable 

 time, after an excessively warm day ; and I was af- 

 fected, for several days, with the usual symptoms of 

 a recently-obstructed perspiration. This cold did not 

 go off in the manner that similar complaints generally 

 do, in my constitution ; that is, by a diarrhoea, of 

 short continuance. It had rather the opposite effect, 

 during, perhaps, four or five days ; and this latter 

 habit of body was soon succeeded by a cholicky af- 

 fection, attended with considerable pain and flatu- 

 lency. These were quickly followed by frequent and 

 copious discharges of thin (sometimes, almost wa- 

 tery), fetid, and (at times, frothy) pale yellow feces, 

 accompanied by the painful sensation before-men- 

 tioned. 



When I had been some days in this condition, I 

 took 35 grains of Rhubarb, which operated pretty se- 

 verely. I experienced, however, no mitigation of 

 my complaints, from the use of this medicine : on 

 the contrary, they increased, together with the weak- 

 ness, langour, and dejection of spirits, which pro- 

 gressed with the disease. I continued, notwithstand- 

 ing, to walk about, as usual. My appetite was weak, 

 and my stomach seemed disordered. A sensation of 

 of nausea was several times excited, in the course of 



