380 PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE 



tous to purge off the offending matter in the alimentary ca- 

 nal, and afterwards to eorrect the disposition to putrescency : 

 for this purpose I prescribe a strong decoction of tamarinds ; 

 in two pints of whieh I order two ounces of purging salt to 

 be dissolved ; an ordinary tea-cupful of this is directed to 

 be taken every three or four hours, till it has operated plen- 

 tifully by stool ; after which, at bed-time, I give an opiate. 

 On the following day the decoction of tamarinds, without the 

 salts, is given ; or the sick are allowed to eat preserved tama- 

 rinds, as they think proper. 



In cases where this method has failed of success, I have 

 had recourse to a mixture of vegetable acid and purified sea- 

 salt, an account of the preparation and good effects of which 

 I several years ago communicated to the American Philoso- 

 phical Society, who have inserted it in their Transactions* ; 

 it is composed of lemon or lime juice three ounces; of sea- 

 salt purified an ounce, or as much as the acid will dissolve ; 

 of any simple distilled cordial water one pint ; and of loaf- 

 sugar a sufficient quantity to sweeten it ; of this a wine-glass 

 full may be given to adults every two, four, or six hours. 



A most respectable author defines dysentery to be a fever 

 of the intestines, and for the cure of it prescribes antimonials 

 and opiates, which in slight cases I have known to answer. 

 This idea of the disease comes very near to my own ; but 

 when dysentery is attended with phlogistic diathesis, the 

 fever is rather the effect than the cause of the disorder. Dis- 

 sections of such as have died of dysentery, have evidently 

 shewn, that inflammation, and consequent gangrene, had ta- 

 ken place in the smaller intestines, as well as in the colon. 



In dysenteries where the fever has been considerable, the 

 tongue dry and parched, the gripes severe, and the stools very 

 frequent, with scarcely any thing else than blood or mucus, I 



" See Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, vol. ii. 4to. 

 Philadelphia, 17r,fi ; and London Medical Journal, vol. viii. p. 97. 8vo. 

 London, 1787- 



