Diseases of the Digestive Tract 277 



astringent mixtures is not judicious treatment, unless 

 the cause is clearly defined and likely to be benefited 

 by the use of such astringent remedies. In the 

 majority of instances a mild dose of castor oil, com- 

 bined with thirty drops of paregoric, or the same 

 quantity of chlorodyne or of laudanum, will prove 

 beneficial. Sometimes antacids are indicated; this 

 being the case where the diarrhoea arises through 

 hyper-acidity of the intestinal secretion. Fifteen 

 grains of grey powder, given daily for two or three 

 days, will do very well under these circumstances. 

 If due to cold, five drops of Rubini's essence of 

 camphor, or twenty drops of paregoric, given in a 

 tablespoonful of cold arrowroot gruel three times 

 per day, usually does good. For dysentery, ipecacu- 

 anha is a very good remedy; it should be given in 

 twenty-five grain doses, combined with ten grains 

 of bicarbonate of soda, and half an ounce of syrup 

 of orange. Repeat in eight hours, and for two or 

 three days afterwards give the same drug in eight- 

 grain doses. In both diarrhcea and dysentery no 

 liquid must be allowed until such time as recovery 

 is complete; a httle iced water, or small doses of 

 Wyeth's beef juice, may be allowed for nourishment. 

 If vomiting is troublesome, give bismuth, twenty 

 grains, three times daily in a tablespoonful of soda- 

 water. 



