258 RETROGRADE SECT. XXIX. 5. 2. 



what relieved his difficulty of breathing, and his pulfe became 

 iefs irregular : this copious fweat recurred three or four times at 

 the intervals of five or fix days, and repeatedly alleviated his 

 fymptoms. 



He was directed one large fpoonful of the above decoclion of 

 foxglove every hour, till it procured fome confiderable evacua- 

 tion : after he had taken it eleven fucceffive hours he had a 

 few liquid ftools, attended with a great flow of urine, which lad 

 had a dark tinge, as if mixed with a few drops of blood : he 

 continued fick at intervals for two days, but his breath became 

 quite eafy and his pulfe quite regular, the fwelling of his legs 

 difappeared, and his appetite and ileep returned. 



He then took three grains of white virtriol twice a day, with 

 fome bittter medicines, and a grain of opium with five grains of 

 rhubarb every night ; was advifed to eat fleth meat, and fpice, 

 as his ftomach would bear it, with fmall beer, and a few glafles 

 of wine ; and had iflues made in his thighs , and has fuffered 

 no relapfe. 



4. A lady, about fifty years of age, had for fome weeks great 

 difficulty of breathing, with very irregular pulfe, and confidera- 

 ble general debility : fhe could lie down in bed, and the urine 

 was in due quantity and of the natural colour, and fhe had no 

 pain or numbnefs of her arms. 



She took one large fpoonful of the above decotion of foxglove 

 every hour, for ten or twelve fucceffive hours ; was fick, and 

 made a quantity of pale urine for about two days, and was quite 

 relieved both of the difficulty of breathing, and the irregularity 

 of her pulfe. She then took a grain of opium, and five grains 

 of rhubarb, every night, for many weeks : with fome flight cha- 

 lybeate and bitter medicines, and has fuffered no relapfe. 



Hydrops Thoracis. 



5. A tradefman, about fifty years of age, became weak and 

 ihort of breath, efpecially on increafe of motion, with pain in 

 one arm, about the infertion of the biceps mufcle. He obferv- 

 ed he fometimes in the night made an unufual quantity of pale 

 water. He took calomel, alum, and peruvian bark, and all his 

 fymptoms increafed : his legs began to fwell confiderably ; his 

 breath became more difficult, and he could not lie down in bed ; 

 but all this time he made a due quantity of ftraw-coloured 

 water. 



The deco&ion of foxglove was given as in the preceding ca- 

 fes, which operated chiefly by purging, and feemed to relieve 

 his breath for a day or two ; but alfo feemed to contribute to 



weaken 



