DROPSY. 155 



Treatment of Ascites, or Dropsy of the Belly. — The medi- 

 cal treatment, in these cases, is seldom attended with suc- 

 cess, because the complaint itself is seldom primary, but the 

 consequence of some other destructive chronic affection, as 

 asthma, diseased liver, or inverted mange, which may have 

 already committed fatal ravages on the constitution. Now 

 and then, however, I have seen attacks of ascites apparently 

 not preceded by either of these affections ; and in these I 

 have sometimes succeeded in obtaining- an evacuation of the 

 water, and in preventing- a recurrence of it also. But such 

 instances are so inferior in point of number to the others, that, 

 in general terms, ventral dropsy may be described as a most 

 fatal disease. 



I have repeatedly tapped dogs ; from some of whom I have 

 drawn off many quarts of fluid, sometimes of a gelatinous 

 consistence^ at others simply serous and thin. Tn some in- 

 stances I have repeated the operation two or three times, 

 which has tended to prolong life ; but eventually the same 

 fate awaited all. The operation of tapping a dog does not 

 differ in any respect from the same process in the human. A 

 trochar is the most proper instrument for the purpose, but the 

 operation may be performed by a lancet, and the puncture 

 may be made in any part of the tumour not immediately bor- 

 dering on the navel, or on the central line of the belly, 

 taking care to examine that no considerable branch of artery, 

 particularly the epigastric, is directly under the line of punc- 

 ture, which may be readily known by careful examination with 

 the fingers. The evacuation of all the water may be pro- 

 ceeded on at once without fear ; the animal will express no 

 uneasiness, nor faintness ; but will conduct himself as though 

 nothing had happened. A bandage moderately tight should 

 be apphed around the belly, and retained there many days, 

 or even weeks, to assist the absorbents by its pressure. 



I have also tried various other means for the evacuation of 

 the water, but it is seldom they have afforded any permanent 

 benefit. In a very few instances only diuretics have produced a 

 salutary and durable effect : of the numerous articles of which 



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