250 JJtSEASfcS CLASS tl. 1. 6. 7. 



I 



lias lately been introduced into practice by Dr. Smith, (Essay on 

 Pulmonary Consumption,) who observed that by swinging the 

 hectic pulse became slower, which is explained in Class IV. 2, 

 1. 10. The usual way of reciprocating swinging, like the oscil- 

 lations of a pendulum, produces a degree of vertigo in those, 

 who are unused to it; but to give it greater effect, the patient 

 should be placed in a chair suspended from the ceiling by two 

 parallel cords in contact with each other, the chair should then 

 be forcibly revolved 20 or 40 times one way, and suffered to re- 

 turn spontaneously; which induces a degree of sickness in most 

 adult people, and is well worthy an exact and pertinacious trial, 

 for an hour or two, three or four times a day for a month. 



The common means of promoting absorption in ulcers, and 

 of thickening the matter in consequence, by taking the bark and 

 opium internally, or by metallic salts, as of mercury, steel, 

 zinc, and copper, in small quantities, have been repeatedly used 

 in pulmonary consumption; and may have relieved some of 

 the symptoms. As mercury cures venereal ulcers, and as pul- 

 monary ulcers resemble them in their not having a disposition to 

 heal, and in their tendency to enlarge themselves, there were 

 hopes, from analogy, that it might have succeeded. Would a 

 solution of gold in aqua regia be worth trying? When vinegar 

 is applied to the lips, it renders them instantly pale, by promot- 

 ing the venous absorption; if the whole skin was moistened with 

 warmish vinegar, would this promote venous absorption in the 

 lungs by their sympathy with the skin? The very abstemious 

 diet on milk and vegetables alone is frequently injurious. Flesh 

 meat once a day, with small wine and water, or small beer, is pre- 

 ferable. Half a grain of opium twice a day, or a grain, I believe 

 to be of great use at the commencement of the disease, as ap- 

 pears from the subsequent case. 



Miss , a delicate young lady, of a consumptive family^ 



when she was about eighteen, had frequent cough, with quick 

 pulse, a pain of her side, and the general appearances of a be- 

 ginning consumption. She took about five drops of laudanum 

 twice a day in a saline draught, which was increased gradually 

 to ten. In a few weeks she recovered, was afterwards married, 

 bore three or four children, and then became consumptive and 

 died. 



The following case of hereditary consumption is related by a 

 physician of great ability and very extensive practice; and, as 

 it is his own case, abounds with much nice observation and use- 

 ful knowledge; and, as it has been attended with a favourable 

 event, may give consolation to many, who are in a similar situa- 

 tion; and shews that Sydenham's recommendation of riding as 



