ON THE USE OF VEGETABLE ACIDS, &C. 32/, 



up a white scum to the surface, and on applying the eat near 



the vessel where the- experiment is made, a slight hissing may 

 be heard, similar to that when acids and alkalies are mixed. 

 It would seem probable that part of the marine salt is hereby 

 decomposed. 



That vegetable acids and marine salt are antiseptics, has 

 long been known ; but their effects, when mixed, 1 apprehend 

 to be but lately discovered. 



Without farther preface, I shall proceed to the particular 

 diseases in which they have been administered, prepared as 

 above. 



Of the Dysentery. — The dysentery is a vfcry frequent disor- 

 der in this and other West India Islands ; and sometimes is 

 epidemic, particularly in the rainy seasons, or when provisions 

 are scarce. Amongst other causes of dysenteries, I have of- 

 ten known the eating of yams not arrived at maturity, as also 

 unripe alligator pears, produce a bloody Mux. 



Dysenteries commonly begin with frequent loose stools for 

 a day or two, attended with gripings ; by degrees, the gripes 

 grow more severe; nothing is voided by stool but a small 

 quantity of mucus mixed with blood ; tenesmus comes on, and 

 is exceedingly troublesome. 



The appetite fails, the patients are low spirited, and suffer 

 a great prostration of strength. The mouth and tongue are 

 much furred and slimy, and the taste is like that of rotten 

 butcher's meat. Thedesire of drinkissometimes excessive, but 

 for the most part very moderate. The pulse is very low, feeble 

 and undulating, and rarely rises so high as to indicate the 

 use of a lancet. Such was the dysentery in 1771. It proved 

 fatal to many people, both old and young, though treated 

 according to the most approved methods of cure, and the loss 

 of several patients of mine convinced me of the necessity of 

 using antiseptics early in this disease. 



A vomit seemed necessary to clearthe stomach, and some 



X 2 



