ON DIGITALIS, WITH SOME OBSERVATIONS 

 ON THE URINE. 



(Thesis pkesexted to the University oe Edinbuegh, 1836, and to 

 WHICH A Gold Medal was Awarded.) 



Published in Book Form, Churcliill, London, 18GS. 



Preface. 



Encouraged by the distinction awarded to this Thesis by 

 the Medical Faculty of the Edinburgh University, and 

 believing tJiat it contains some facts not altogether without 

 interest or importance, I have been induced to publish it, 

 tliough fully conscious of its very imperfect condition. 

 Though my time was not only short, but much broken up, 

 the omissions would probably not have been so numerous, 

 and the amount of new material greater, were it not that, 

 fearing lest I should see, not wdiat was actually bef'^re me, 

 but what others had seen, and I thouglit I ought to see, I 

 left myself, during the greater part of the time, purposely 

 ignorant of the literature of Digitalis, only reading it up 

 after most of my experiments had been already performed, 

 and then learning that many of my observations had been 

 already made by various experimenters, whose results they 

 only confirmed. 



Here I gladly take the opportunity of acknowledging my 

 great obligation to Dr. Maclagan, who first suggested this 

 subject to me, and by kindly allowing me the use of his labora- 

 tory, has enabled me to make experiments I would otherwise 

 have been obliged to leave untried ; to Dr. Gamgee, for the 

 great, indeed, essential aid he has afforded me by advice, 

 instruments, and personal assistance ; to Dr. Christison, for 

 help given me by books and specimens ; to several of my 

 fellow-students, especially to ]\iessrs. Downie, Maclean, and 

 Nicolson, for the assistance they rendered me in the per- 

 formance of my experiments; and to Mr. Salom, Optician, 

 for the use of his Weather Tables. 



March, 1868. 



