600 PRACTICE OF PHYSIC. 



kidneys, we are of opinion that a neutral salt accompanying the 

 squill may be of use in determining this more certainly to the 

 kidneys ; and whenever it can be perceived that it takes this 

 course, we are persuaded that it will also be always useful, and 

 generally safe, during the exhibition of the squills, to increase 

 the usual quantity of drink. 



" It may be a question, Whether the diuretic operation of 

 squills may not be assisted by some mercurial preparation given 

 at the same time ? And when there is any appearance of the 

 medicine going to the kidneys, it cannot be doubted that the 

 mercury, as stimulant of every excretory to which it is applied, 

 may here also be useful. Accordingly it has been a frequent 

 practice to join mercury with squills ; but I doubt much if the 

 common practice of employing calomel on this occasion be pro- 

 per. Calomel determines the squill more certainly to operate 

 by stool ; and unless the cure of the disease is to be trusted en- 

 tirely to purging, the calomel may readily prevent the diuretic 

 operation of the squill. We have therefore been of opinion, 

 that the less purgative preparations of mercury were better suit- 

 ed to the purpose ; and we are disposed to judge that the solu- 

 tion of the corrosive sublimate, which so often by itself goes to 

 the kidneys, may be more proper than any other. 



" All the Alliacece seem to contain an acrimony, which seems 

 by its nature to be determined to pass off by the kidneys ; and 

 the species Allium sativum or Garlic, which possesses the 

 largest portion of this acrimony, has been always celebrated as 

 a diuretic. 



" I have only to add here, that when it is taken into the 

 stomach in its fresh and recent state, it almost always operates 

 as a diuretic : and I am well persuaded, that in several in- 

 stances of my practice it has contributed to the cure of dropsy; 

 but I have not been so happy as Dr. Sydenham was, to find 

 the disease cured by garlic alone. 



"The infusion of tobacco has lately been recommended to 

 us as a powerful diuretic of great service in dropsy. Upon the 

 faith of these recommendations, we have now employed this 

 remedy in various cases of dropsy, but with very little success. 

 From the small doses that are proper to begin with, we have 

 hardly observed any diuretic effects ; and though from larger 



