aera 2 ete: 
ot n 
inordinate vafcular ation to the Eoinde of health, but even 
to bring it to a moft unufual and preternatural a eas On $ 
and if perfifted in, finally to deftroy life. 
the digitalis, cautioufly adminiftered, a ftrong 
ufual, or of increafed quicknefs, wil frequently fink as low 
as forty beats ina minute, and fometimes much Jefe, without 
when once fo meee the fame effect 
corftitution too {uddenly, or if _auantity be too great, a 
moft diftrefling and alarming an at the ai fainting, 
giddinefs, coldnefs of the acm pain of t ad and 
temples, failure and irregularity of pulfe, Inceflont vomiting, 
ae extreme debility will follow, and thus it may prove 
"The o ther mae o digitalis, is that of a very powerful 
diuretic ; and it be remarked that it feldom, if ever, 
2éts in this manne, geet a concomitant reduétion of the 
frequency of the pulfe; and pee it i 
of this eaigae, as a diuretic, requires fo 
the debility atrendant on the fudden diminution of the vaf- 
cular ation fhould overfet a conftitution already weakened 
and opprefled by dropfical effufion. 
In the ufe of digitalis, particular care muft be taken not 
to increafe the quantity or ency of dofe too rapidly, 
.as it often happens that no effet is 
dofes ; but when a confiderable quantity has been taken, very 
violent fymptoms are apt to follow fo fuddenly, as fcarcely 
to allow time for any indication of the neceffity of forbear. 
_ ance of this powerful medicine. This is particularly the 
cafe ip the form of infufion is adopte 
e are fome conft'tutions, however, on which the digi- 
talis, even in its mc ft active ftate, appears to have no manner 
of effet, wieeaes be the dof:, either on the pulfe, or the 
flow of urine, or on any other funétion of the body. 
Confiderable attention is required in the feleGion and pre- 
paration of the digitalis for medicinal ufe. r. Withering’s 
ufeful direGions, dictated by long a a | o be 
oT. = ered to. The oe are to © gat ered when 
ems are fhot up, efore the time of flow 
ing ; and ae largeft and aa coloured leaves are pte- 
ferable. Thefe are to be carefully dried in a warm room 
through which a current of air is pafling ; and when com- 
pletely crifp and dry, they are to be reduced to powder, and 
kept in bottles clofely corked, and not a ga 2 the light. 
In this flate the digitalis has a ely {mell, not unlike new 
P 
fay 
ve) 
n ee in ftrength is always 
rable; an all herbaceous plants gradually lofe their 
sedi cial sae on it ey be right for the apothecary to 
prepare it afrefh every yea 
The digitalis is preferibed i in sie different forms, in pow- 
der, in tinGure, and in infu The latter mode is pre- 
ferable when the se Necties acer of the plant are wanted, 
s it acts with the moft ae ed an 
recommended oe 
monly employed, is one drachm of the dried leaves, infufed 
in eight ounces of ree water to feven ounces, to which, 
when ftrained, one ounce of any aromatic fpirit is addcd. 
The fi ft dofe of this infion to to an adult, may be about half 
ar .ounce three times 2 day ; the quantity may be gra 
m daily, till the defired 
seo deaan of the pulfe, and the 
ether i a arife to an ana degree, 
Au 
f pill, meses com 
vacuation to a dangerous degree. 
be 
The powder may be given mixed with an aromatic, in 
dofes of about half a grain thrice a day, the quantity being 
gradually increafed. When the digitalis is ufed for coughs 
and chron nic compla aints, where the {edative ae alone, and 
not the diuretic 1s wanted, the powder is often made into a 
mbined with opium, o BPG: ie 
ar has found the diuretic effie& increaed oy 
epublica: it with calomel, and the pulvis ipecac. com 
dofe for an adult being half a grain of digitalis, a grain Of 
calomel, and eight grains of the p. ipec. c. in two piils. 
Dr. bferves, that when the digitalis fucceeds as a 
dinretics. it is generally i in a few days; fo thatif it does not 
{peedily thew its effets, it is only a wafte of time to conti- 
nue it longer 
The tnékure of digitalis, iponenpen by Dr. 
Dar- 
win, is made by digefting two ounces of the dried leaves, 
coarfely powdered, in eight ounces ol proof fpirit for fome 
days. ‘The quantity of the plant here recommended is fo 
great, as to foak it great portion of the | “the ee {tron 
he 
quantity, before any fenfible operation is produced. 
In employing the digitalis, therefore, very accurate atten- 
tion fhou!d be paid to thofe fymptoms which we have already 
enumerated as following an cxorbitant dofe ; oe eae 
flate of the pulfe fhould be exaly note ording 
e fafeft guide to the praétitioner. Where “7 is eae 
a at all on the conftitution, the pvlfe is almoft invariably 
reduced in frequency, fo that the digitalis may be fafel 
nd the m 
alfe See Hide pone or when other 
of alarming debility Thi owever, principally 
applies to the ufe a digitalis as a diuretic in the of 
dropfical effufions of various kinds, where the full fee. of 
this powerful plant is wanted ; for in moft other occations it 
will pedi be Raul to pufh it 
y juft enumerate the Atleates ‘for which pe Ara 
we medica a beenem mployed with advantage. ropfly 
kind, except the encyfted, this medicine is often 
Saeco arte es ; and when properly dofed, it evacuates the 
water with lefs difturbance to the fyfiem than any other diu- 
retic. ike all other medicines of this clafe, however, it 
Paacaey fails to produce any ip without any obvious 
reafon for fuch failure, ose re frequently than any 
other medicine. In ne citer y its moft decided 
form, or where the <Hoton into any of the cavity of 
the cheit is only indicated by dy (prea, ce medicine is often 
of fingular utility, and under its operation the pulfe refumes 
its regularity, and increafes in — ia the medicine 
be continued too long, or in too large 
bove-mentioned difeafcs, the Cae ig she 
e digitalis is clicfly owing to its diuretic powers, 
not e fo, fome advantage is tae CG 
cially in effufions into the cavity of the cheft) to the diminu- 
tion of the force of circulation. 
cre are many other cafes, however, in which the ad- 
We r. Ferriar juftly 
cbt) — of lowering the =e without incieafing 
Hitherto we have only 
een able "eee it, either by Wiianiee a quartity - 
tne 
