04 DISEASES CtAss I. 2. 3. 17, 



any other obstruction to the circulation. See Class IV. 2. I. 

 18. Pulsus intermittens, and Palpitatio cordis. 



In both these cases the patients could not sleep above one mi- 

 nute at a time; which I ascribed to the debility of the action of 

 the heart compared with the resistance to the circulation, and 

 that some voluntary exertion became necessary to carry on the 

 circulation, which does not exist in sleep. See Class 1. 2. 1. 3. 

 Somnus interrupts. 



These two cases of patients about sixty years of age are here 

 mentioned from a curious circumstance, that both the patients 

 became in some degree insane after being relieved by the tinc- 

 ture of digitalis taken to the quantity of thirty drops three or tour 

 times a day for two or three days; and remained in a slight de- 

 gree of insanity for some months, and then as this increase of 

 voluntary exertion ceased, they again became afflicted with the 

 anasarca pulmonum, and swelling of the legs, and this repeat- 

 edly for two or three years. I have before seen a common ana- 

 sarca repeatedly cured by insanity for a year or two; and two 

 fevers I have seen attended with great debility cured by the ac- 

 cess of insanity, which was called delirium by the attendants; 

 and I lately witnessed the present cure of what was believed to 

 be consumption by the access of insanity. Ail which were pro- 

 bably effected by the increased energy of some parts of the system 

 owing to the addition of volition to the sensorial powers of irrita- 

 tion or association. 



The usual cause of anasarca is from a diseased liver, and 

 hence it most frequently attends those, who have drunk much 

 fermented or spirituous liquors; but I suspect that there is ano- 

 ther cause of anasarca, which originates from the brain; and 

 which is more certainly fatal than that, which originates from a 

 diseased liver. These patients, where the anasarca originates 

 from, or commences in, the brain, have not other symptoms of 

 diseased liver; have less difficulty of breathing at the beginning; 

 and hold themselves more upright in their chair, and in walking. 

 In this kind of dropsy I suspect the digitalis has less or no effect; 

 as it particularly increases the absorption from the lungs. 



17. Obesitas. Corpulency may be called anasarca or dropsy 

 of fat, since it must be owing to an analogous cause; that is, to 

 the deficient absorption of fat compared to the quantity secrete<J 

 into the cells which contain it. See Class II. 1. 1.4. 



The method of getting free from too much fat without any in- 

 jury to the constitution, consists first, in putting on a proper ban- 

 dage on the belly, so that it can be tightened or relaxed with ease, 

 as a tightish under waistcoat, with a double row of buttons. 

 This is to compress the bowels and increase their absorption; 



