5$ DISEASES CLASS 1. 2. *. 12, 



opium, a^rain^every night. Steel. Bark. A Wider. Topi- 

 cal afperlion with cold water, or cold vinegar. 



One caufe of exceffive menflruation, which fometimes recurs 

 monthly, and continues for a fortnight at each period, and is 

 fucceedecl by fiuor albus during the intervals, I have fufpec~led to 

 arife, like the bleeding piles, from enlargement of the liver, which 

 is liable to occur about the age of forty to thole who have drank 

 much flrong fmall beer, or wine 5 or to thofe who have unfor- 

 tunately been long accuflomed to the ufe of tight flays, or other 

 bandages round their bowels. In thefe fituations 6 or 8 grains of 

 rhubarb mould be taken every night for months, or even years. 

 Calomel, 4 or 6 grains mould be taken as a cathartic one a month. 

 A flannel drefs on the legs, thighs, and lower body may be ufe- 

 ful in the cold feafon, but injurious in the warmer months. 

 Weak acid of vitriol ten drops, two or three times a day ; fleel 

 in very fmall quantity ; and a very loofe drefs round the body - y 

 are recommended. 



12. Dyfmenorrhagia. A difficulty of menftruation attended 

 with pain. In this complaint the torpor of the uterine vefTels, 

 which precedes menflruation, is by fympathy accompanied with 

 a torpor of the lumbar membranes, and confequent pain ; and 

 frequently with cold extremities, and general debility. The 

 fmall quantity and difficulty of the difcharge is owing to arterial 

 inactivity, as in chlorofis. Whence it happens, that chalybeate 

 medicines are of efficacy both to flop or prevent too great men- 

 ftruation, and to promote or increafe deficient menflruation ; 

 as the former is owing to inirritability of the veins, and the lat- 

 ter of the arteries of the uterus. See Article IV. 2. 6. in the Ma- 

 teria'Medica. 



M. M. Opium, fleel, pediluvium. Warm bath. 



13. Lcchia nimla. Too great difcharge after delivery. In that 

 unnatural practice of fomehafty accoucheurs of introducing the 

 hand into the uterus immediately after the delivery of the child, 

 and forcibly bringing away the placenta, it frequently happens, 

 that a part of it is left behind ; and the uterus, not having pow- 

 er to exclude fo fmall a portion of it, is prevented from com- 

 plete contraction, and a great haemorrhage enfues. In this cir- 

 cumflance a bandage with a thick comprefs on the lower part of 

 the belly, by appreffirig the fides of the uterus on the remaining 

 part of the placenta, is likely to check the haemorrhage, like the 

 application of a pledget of any foft fubilance on a bleeding veflcl. 



In o'.her cafes the lochia continues too long, or in too great 

 quantity, owing to the deficiency of venous abforption. 



M. M. An enema. An opiate. Ablifter. Slight calybe- 

 ates. Peruvian bark. Cloths dipped in cold vinegar and applied 



externally. 



