DISEASES CtfAis IT. i. 6. ^ 



of metallic calx'es, and the medicines of the article Sorbentia, 

 fuch as cerufla and the bark in fine powder, fee Clafs I. 2. 3. 21.' 

 and are generally healed in a (hort time by thefe means. Indu- 

 ced by thefe obfervatiohs, I wifhed to try the external application 

 of fuch powders to ulcers in the lungs, and conitrucled a box 

 with a circulating brufti in it, into this box two ounces of fine 

 powder of Peruvian bark were put, and two drachms of cerufla 

 in fine powder ; on whirling the central brufh, part of this was 

 raifed into a cloud of powder and the patient, applying his mouth 

 to one of the tin pipes rifirig out of the box, inhaled this powder 

 twice a day into his lungs. I obferved it did not produce any 

 cough or uneafmefs. This patient was in the laft ilage of con- 

 iumption, and was fcon tired of the experiment, nor have I had 

 Aich patients as I wifhed for the repetition of it. Perhaps a 

 fine powder of manganefe, or of the flowers of zinc, or of lapis 

 calaminaris, might be thus applied to ulcers of the lungs 

 with greater advantage ? Perhaps air impregnated with flowers 

 of zinc in their mod comminuted flate, might be a better way of 

 applying this powder to the lungs, as difcovered by Mr. Watt. 

 See Dr. Beddoes on Pneumatic Medicine. Johnfon. 



Thirdly, as the healing of an ulcer confifls in producing a 

 tendency to abforption on its furface greater than the depofitiort 

 on it , fee Seel. XXXIII. 3. 2. Other modes of increafing pul- 

 monary abforption, which are perhaps more manageable than 

 the preceding ones, may be had recourfe to ; fuch as by pro- 

 ducing frequent naufea or ficknefs, See Seel. XXIX. 5. i. and 

 Art. IV. 2. The great and hidden abforption of fluid from the 

 lungs in the anafarca pulmonum by the ficknefs induced by the 

 exhibition of digitalis, aftonifhes thofe who have not before at- 

 tended to it, by emptying the fwelled limbs, and removing the 

 difficulty of breathing in a few hours. 



The moil manageable method of ufirrg digitalis is by making, 

 a faturated tinelure of it, by infufing two ounces of the powder 

 of the leaves in a mixture of four ounces of rectified fpirit of 

 wine, and four ounces of water. Of this from 30 to 60 drops, or 

 upwards, from a two-ounce phial, are to be taken twice in the 

 morning part of the day, and to be fo managed as not to induce 

 violent ficknefs. If ficknefs neverthelefs conies on, the patient 

 muft for a day or two omit the medicine ; and then begin it 

 again in reduced dofes. 



Mr. , a young man about twenty, with dark eyes and 



large pupils, who had every fymptom of pulmonary ulcers, I 

 believed to have been cured by digitalis, and publimed the cafe 

 in the Tranfaclions of the College, Vol. III. But I heard, 

 that about two years afterwards he relapfed and died. Mr. 



