HJEMORRHAG1ES. 



cess, and which we can hardly carry further than to render the 

 body regular, and to make the usual evacuation a little more free. 

 From half a drachm to a drachm of the Flores Sulphuris will 

 seldom fail to give one stool, and will seldom give more. It has 

 this operation without heating the body, and, for the most part, 

 without griping the bowels. These circumstances make it a 

 most proper and convenient laxative ; and were it not for the 

 foetor, which sometimes attends its operation, and is ready to be 

 diffused in the air around, sulphur would be one of the most 

 agreeable laxatives that could be employed. But it is often too 

 weak and ineffectual. We have recourse, therefore, to other 

 purgatives, such as the neutral salts, which, however, must not 

 be given in full doses so as to produce copious purging, which 

 irritates and leads again to the suppression of the evacuation ; 

 but in small doses at certain intervals, so as to keep up the 

 usual evacuation. 



" The castor oil also may sometimes be made to operate in 

 this manner, though the frequent repetition is liable to irritate 

 the rectum. Oil, in general, is suited to the purpose; and for- 

 mer practitioners made use of the common oil of olives, of 

 almonds, &c. thrown in in doses of from two to four ounces. 



" The pulp of fruits will in general answer as one of the 

 most convenient medicines. We know, that all the acido-dul- 

 ces fruits are more or less laxative, at least prove so to most 

 persons; and I have known them often employed to obviate the 

 costive habit. I put them in the last place, in order to apply 

 this observation : When the piles have become habitual, they 

 form in most persons some connexion with the rest of the sys- 

 tem, or at least they form such a plethora frequently returning, 

 as has a connexion with the system, which is shown by the hae- 

 morrhagic efforts. I believe a connexion is thus formed with 

 the stomach, precisely analogous to the case of gout. Before 

 the appearance of the flux the stomach is affected with various 

 symptoms of indigestion, and experience shews that various 

 causes which take down the tone of the stomach, may occasion 

 a fit of piles as they do a fit of gout. In many persons, claret 

 particularly has this effect ; in others, the free use of acids of 

 any kind, and of the acido-dulces fruits, produces the same 

 effect in both cases, which probably also arises from passions of 



