SECT. XXIX. 5. RETROGRADE ABSORBENTS, 381 



motion, with pain in one arm, about the infertion 

 of the biceps mufcle. He obferved he fometimes 

 in the night made an unufual quantity of pale 

 \vater. He took calomel, alum, andperuvian bark, 

 and all his fymptoms increafed: his legs began ta 

 fwell confiderably ; his breath became more diffi- 

 cult, and he could not lie down in bed ; but all 

 this time he made a due quantity of ilraw-coloured 

 water. 



The decoclion of foxglove was given as in the 

 preceding cafes, which operated chiefly by purging, 

 and feemed to relieve his breath for a day or two ; 

 but alfo feemed to contribute to weaken him. He 

 became after fome weeks univerfally dropfical, and 

 died comatous. 



6. A young lady of delicate conftitution, with' 

 light eyes and hair, and who had perhaps lived too' 

 abflemioufly both in refpe6t to the quantity and 

 quality of what Che eat and drank, was feized with 

 great difficulty of breathing, fo as to threaten im- 

 mediate death. Her extremities were quite cold, 

 and her breath felt cold to the back of one's hand. 

 She had no fweat, nor could lie down for a iingle' 

 moment ; and had previoufly, and at prefent, com- 

 plained of great weaknefs and pain and numbnefs' 

 of both her arms ; had no fwelling of her legs, no 

 third, water in due quantity and colour. Her fifter, 

 about a year before, was afflidted with fimilar fymp- 

 toms, was repeatedly blooded, and died univerfally 

 dropfical. 



A grain of opium was given immediately, and 

 repeated every fix hours with evident and amazing 

 advantage ; afterwards a blifter, with chalybeates, 

 bitters, and eifenrial oils, were exhibited, but no- 

 thing had fuch eminent effecT: in relieving the 

 difficulty of breathing and coldnefs of her extremi- 

 ties as opium, by the ufe of which in a few weeks 

 Cc 2 file 



