96 LECTURES. 



These symptoms had existed for five years, but they 

 were not in the first instance attributed to the pre- 

 sence of oxyurides. The parasites, indeed, were 

 not observed until a year later, and when first seen 

 were only noticed in very small numbers. Some 

 of his symptoms led me to suspect the existence of 

 Bright' s disease ; but on submitting the urine to 

 the ordinary tests I could discover no trace of al- 

 bumen. Anxious therefore to ascertain the extent 

 of the parasitism, I prescribed santonin in combina- 

 tion with an active saline purgative. This medicine 

 operated very efficiently, but only expelled two ex- 

 amples of the threadworm. Having satisfied both 

 the patient's mind and my own that no serious mis- 

 chief was arising from this source, I prescribed a 

 vegetable tonic, and countenanced a proposal that 

 he should quit business for a time and repair to the 

 sea-side. This step proved of the utmost benefit, 

 and when I saw him again in the following Sep- 

 tember he had a good appetite, a clean tongue, a 

 bright look, a soft and regular pulse, with an almost 

 total disappearance of the trembling of the upper 

 right limb. Such good results thus far encouraged 

 me to recommend a trial of the bromide of potas- 

 sium ; yet I am free to state that its employment 

 did more harm than good. At all events, the as- 

 thenic and dyspeptic symptoms returned, with some 

 other features of the old disorder. Of course I 

 counselled a repetition of the previous treatment, 



