ACTION ON THE UEINE. 61 



existence. Among others who have remarked it, may be men- 

 tioned Christison, Andral and Lemaitre, and Hervieux. Several, 

 who admit its diuretic action in disease, entirely deny its possess- 

 ing this power in health, — as, for instance, Krahmer, Kluyskens, 

 Vassal, and Shohl. Others again, as Pereira, say that it some- 

 times acts as a diuretic even in health. Joerg,* who experi- 

 mented on several healthy persons, men, women and children, 

 found the urine increased, with only one exception. Hutchin- 

 son, in experimenting on himself, found it increased in three 

 experiments. Hammond, from a three days' observation, says 

 that the amount in health was 1474 c.c, and, after taking 

 60 drops daily of the American tincture, found it was 1822. 

 The amount of water in the ingesta was not determined. Bou- 

 ley and Eeynal, and Dupuy and Delafond noted the diuretic 

 action in health markedly on horses. In my own case, I found 

 that, with small doses, the urine varied just as my pulse had 

 done, being generally increased to a slight extent while I took 

 the digitaline, but sometimes not, while, with large doses, the 

 diuretic effect was marked, as will appear from the following 

 table :— 



jTeb. 2 — 14 1304 cub. cent, or 45 '9 oz. Dose. 



G-rains. flO milligrams of ex- 



„ 15—24 1326 „ 4G-6 „ /y < traetiform digi- 



(. taline. 

 „ 25— Mar. 2. , 1303 „ 45 '9 „ 



{4 milligrams powdery 

 digitaline obtained 

 from Morson. 

 „ 7—14 1421 „ 50-0 „ /^ 12 milligrams. 



.. «*i6 1137 „ 40-0 „ ,% {visr' "■ 



„ 17—22 1517 „ 53-4 „ 



Erom this we notice, that with the larger doses, especially of 

 the digitaline in powder, there is a marked increase in the 

 amount of urine before intoxication appears, then a sudden fall 

 during its continuance, and another rise of still greater extent 

 after it has passed off, and after the medicine had been discon- 

 tinued. The actual increase in the amount of urine may to 

 some appear small ; but when it is considered that the amount 



* Joerg, Archives de Med., prcm. ser. t. xxvi, p. 107, H. and Q. 



