i2S On the Diseases of 



a drink made out of cassia and nitre, or lemonade made" 

 Out of sour oranges or lemons. By the use of such 

 drinks, the thirst of the patient is diminished, and 

 the acrimony of the bile assuaged ; they will produce 

 in the region of the liver a relaxation proper to accelerate 

 the crisis : I mean the discharge of the bile ; for vegetable 

 acids, by being united with some parts of the alcalized 

 bile, promote a purge. It was Mr* Gamier who made 

 this observation, and communicated it to me in answer 

 to a letter, in which I asked of him the cause of this effect, 

 which appeared to me surprising. To the drink men- 

 tioned above j may be added three or four injections a 

 day, of a decoction of emollient herbs, or of Gom- 

 bault, adding one or two drams of purified nitre in 

 every injection* Besides these injections, they must 

 apply on the lower part of the stomach fomentations 

 of castor-oil, and constantly keep on it warm emol- 

 lient poultices, made with the herbs mentioned above. 



The patient, having at last reached the fourth day of 

 his disease, with such remedies, and having lived on no 

 other food than weak chicken broth, experiences com- 

 monly an evacuation of bilious humours which announces 

 the crisis. Then, but only in a sparing manner, they 

 may assist nature with light purgings, such as whey, pre- 

 pared with cream of tartar, manna, sena, &c. 



A Bloody- Flux sometimes occurs, but it is commonly 

 but symptomatic before the fifth day (here again my 

 Opinion coincides particularly with that of Mr. Poisson- 

 nier). If, however, the evacuation take place by the 

 i*ay of urine, it may be looked upon as critical. My 



