DROPSY DROUAIS. 



733 



functions impeded ; and it will often be best not to 

 draw offthe whole fluid at once. Great care must 

 be taken, also, to keep up a sufficient pressure, by a 

 broad bandage over the abdomen, as even fatal syn- 

 cope has arisen from the neglect of this. The con- 

 traction of the muscles will DC promoted by friction. 

 The remedies for this disease are cathartics, dieuret- 

 ics, gentle friction of the abdomen with oil, &c. 

 Tonic medicines, a nutritious diet, and, if the com- 

 plaint appears giving way, such exercise as the 

 patient can take without fatigue, with other means of 

 improving the general health, ought not to be 

 neglected. 



Another species of dropsy is called anasarca, 

 (from &>a, through, and a-a^g, flesh). It is occasioned 

 by a serous humour, spread between the skin and 

 flesh, or rather by a general accumulation of lymph 

 in the cellular system. 



This species of dropsy shows itself at first by a 

 swelling of the feet and ankles towards the evening, 

 which, for a time, disappears again in the morning. 

 The tumefaction is soft and inelastic, and, when 

 pressed upon by the finger, retains its mark for some 

 'time, the skin becoming much paler than usual. By 

 degrees, the swelling ascends, and occupies the 

 trunk of the body ; and, at last, even the face and 

 eyelids appear full and bloated : the breathing then 

 becomes difficult, the urine is small in quantity, high- 

 coloured, and deposits a reddish sediment ; the belly 

 is costive, the perspiration much obstructed, the 

 countenance yellow, and a considerable degree of 

 thirst, with emaciation of the whole body, prevails. 

 To these symptoms succeed torpor, heaviness, a 

 troublesome cough, and a slow fever. In some cases, 

 the water oozes out through the pores of the cuticle ; 

 in others, being too gross to pass through them, it 

 raises the cuticle in small blisters ; and sometimes 

 the skin, not allowing the water to escape through 

 it, is compressed and hardened, and is, at the same 

 time, so much distended as to give the tumor a con- 

 siderable degree of firmness. In some few cases, the 

 disease goes off by a spontaneous crisis, by vomiting, 

 purging, &c. Where the quantity of fluid collected 

 is such as to disturb the more important functions, 

 the best mode of relieving the patient is to make a 

 few small incisions with a lancet, not too near each 

 other, through the integuments on the fore and upper 

 part of each thigh ; the discharge may be assisted by 

 pressure. In the use of issues or blisters, there is 

 some risk of inducing gangrene, especially if applied 

 to the legs ; and the same has happened from scari- 

 fications with the cupping instrument. Absorption 

 may l>e promoted by friction, and bandaging the 

 parts, which will, at the same time, obviate further 

 effusion ; but most powerfully by the use of different 

 evacuating remedies, especially those which occasion 

 a sudden considerable discharge of fluids. Emetics 

 have been often employed with advantage ; but it is 

 necessary to guard against weakening the stomach 

 by the frequent repetition of those which produce 

 much nausea. 



Cathartics are of much greater and more general 

 utility. Diuretics are universally proper. Digitalis 

 is often a very powerful remedy. Opium, and some 

 other narcotics, have been occasionally useful. In 

 the use of diuretics, the patient should not be re- 

 stricted from drinking freely. It is very desirable to 

 promote evacuation oy the skin. Sometimes much 

 relief is obtained by promoting perspiration, locally, 

 by means of the vapour bath. Mercury has been much 

 employed. Regular exercise, such as the patient can 

 bear 'the limbs being properly supported, especially 

 by a well-contrivea laced stocking), ought to be 

 enjoined, or diligent friction of the skin, particularly 

 ofthe affected parts, employed when the tumefaction is 



usually least, namely, in the morning. The cold batli 

 duly regulated, may also, when the patient is conval- 

 escent, materially contribute to obviate a relapse. 



The next species of dropsy which' we shall consi- 

 der, is hydrocephalus (from vla/i, water, and xt^aXr,, 

 the he.au) ; hydrocephalum, hydrencephalus ; dropsy 

 of the brain, dropsy of the head, It is sometimes of 

 a chronic nature, when the water has been known to 

 increase to an enormous quantity, effecting a separa- 

 tion of the bones of the head, and an absorption of 

 the brain. Pain in the head, particularly across the 

 brow, stupor, dilatation of the pupils, nausea, vomiting, 

 preternatural slowness of the pulse, and convulsions, 

 are symptoms of this disease. Hydrocephalus is 

 almost peculiar to children, being rarely known to 

 extend beyond the age of twelve or fourteen ; and it 

 seems more frequently to arise in those of a scrofu- 

 lous and ricketty habit than in others. It is an af- 

 fection which has been observed to pervade families, 

 affecting all or the greater part of the children at a 

 certain period of their life ; which seems to show that, 

 in many cases, it depends more on the general habit, 

 than on any local affection, or-accidental cause. The 

 disease has generally been supposed to arise in con- 

 sequence either of injuries done to the brain itself, 

 by blows, falls, &c. , from scirrhous tumours or excres- 

 cences within the skull, from original laxity or weak- 

 ness in the brain, or from general debility and an 

 impoverished state of the blood. With respect to its 

 proximate cause, very opposite opinions are still 

 entertained by medical writers, which, in conjunction 

 with the equivocal nature of its symptoms, prove a 

 source of considerable embarrassment to the young 

 practitioner. When recoveries have taken place in 

 hydrocephalus, we ought, probably, to attribute 

 more to the efforts of nature than to the interference 

 of art. It is always to be regarded as of difficult 

 cure. The treatment should be prompt and active. 

 The inflammatory action should be lessened, and then 

 absorption promoted. After taking some blood by 

 bleeding or by leeches, the torpid bowels are to be 

 evacuated by some active cathartic, and their activity 

 kept up, in the progress of the complaint, .by calomel 

 or some other mercurial preparation. Mercury also 

 contributes powerfully to rouse the absorbents. After 

 the bowels are cleared, some evaporating lotion is to 

 be applied to the shaved scalp, and the antiphlogis- 

 tic regimen observed. Sudorific medicines will gene- 

 rally be proper, assisted by the warm bath. Blisters 

 may be applied to the temples, behind the ears, or to 

 the nape of the neck. If the progress of the disease 

 is arrested, the strength is to be established by a 

 nutritious diet and tonic medicines. 



DROSKY ; a kind of light, four-wheeled carriage, 

 used by the Russians. It is not covered, and its side 

 seats contain a greater or less number of persons. 

 The lower wheels are covered with wings, which 

 keep off the mud. 



DROSOMETER ; an instrument for ascertaining 

 the quantity of dew which falls. It consists of a 

 balance, one end of which is furnished with a plate 

 fitted to receive the dew, the other containing a 

 weight protected from it. 



DROUAIS, JOHN GERMAIN ; the most distin- 

 guished French painter of the school of David, was 

 born at Paris, in 1763. His desire of going to 

 Rome to study the great works of art, induced him 

 to enter the lists tor the great prize, which con- 

 sisted of a pension for four years ; but, being dis- 

 satisfied with his work, he destroyed it, and left the 

 prize to another. When reproached for this by his 

 master, who saw with surprise the remains of his 

 picture, he said, "Are you satisfied with mer" 

 " Perfectly," answered David. " Well, then, I have 

 gained the prize," returned Drouais ; " this was my 



