62 ON DIGITALIS, WITH SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE UEINE. 



of fluid ingested is the same, and that, in a normal condition, 

 very rarely has a large amount of urine been passed on more 

 than two consecutive days, the distinct and persistent diuresis 

 from the digitaline is remarkable. Winogradoff, from his ex- 

 periments on moderately large doses of digitaline, concluded 

 that it cannot strictly be called a diuretic, as it was given 

 for five days without marked increase in the quantity of urine. 

 The doses given were from ^ to f- of a grain. Stadion, sub- 

 jecting himself to a weighed diet of milk, eggs, bread, and butter, 

 found that during a period of 18 days, during which he took 

 digitaline, beginning with 2 milligrams the first day, and in- 

 creasing it by one each day, the urine was somewhat diminished. 

 The amount of urine in my own case was markedly diminished 

 during the period of intoxication, when the gastro-intestinal 

 canal was most affected : and in the case of Daniel G., when the 

 pulse was most affected, it fell from an average of between 40 

 and 50 oz. to 30 oz. on December 2, 25 and 26 oz. on the 3jd 

 and 4th, and 18 oz. on the 5 th and 6th, again slowly rising till on 

 the 10th it rose from 25 to 44 oz., and then remained at its normal 

 standard. In very large doses it occasionally causes not only 

 diminution, but total suppression of urine — lasting for three 

 days in a case quoted by Christison,* and one narrated by 

 Mazel.f Bouley and Eeynal noticed suppression in horses for 

 about 36 or 48 hours, and then followed by abundant diuresis. 

 In Mazel's case it is not noted whether or not there was 

 diuresis, only that urination was performed freely; but as it 

 was after rising to make water that death occurred, it seems not 

 improbable that it was present. Christison thinks that the 

 sedative and diuretic actions are mutually incompatible ; but in 

 horses Bouley and Eeynal found them distinctly co-existing : 

 and though my pulse was somewhat lowered at March 13, there 

 was yet diuresis. It is probable, however, that when the action 

 on the pulse is so great as to cause intermittence, the diuresis 

 is diminished. It increases the frequency of micturition.f 

 From all these observations, then, we may conclude — (1) 



* lEdin. Med. Journ., tu, 149; Christison, 'On Poisons,' p, 8S9. 

 t Mazel, Gazette des Hopitaux in Edin. Med. Journ., 18Gi, p. 169. 

 :j: Med. Times, 1855, p. 381. 



