MEDICINE. 
nessed a supposed cure ©f a very obstinate 
case of epilepsy. It is not, however, easy to 
ascertain how far remedies operate in over- 
coming gradually, chronic affections. 
Of Worms, and Anthelmintics. Worms 
we have just stated to be among the most 
frequent of the exciting causes of epileptic 
lits. As tiie order of our nosology no where 
leads us to notice them in an especial man- 
ner, it may not be improper in this place to 
introduce one or two remarks respecting their 
nature and treatment. 
Intestinal worms are of three kinds: the 
ascaridis, or small thread-like worm ; the 
lumbricus teres, or round worm; and the 
tenia, or tape worm. The first of these are 
principally confined to the rectum: they are ' 
divided by Dr. Darwin into two species, via. 
“ the common small one, like a thread, which 
has a very sharp head, as appears in the mi- 
croscope, and which is so tender that the 
cold air soon renders it motionless; and a 
larger kind, above an inch long, and nearly 
as thick as a very small crow-quill, and 
which is very hard in respect to its texture, 
and very tenacious of life.” l ire symptoms 
by which the presence of these may be sus- 
pected, are an uneasiness and itching in the 
rectum, especially urgent towards evening : 
this, if violent, disturbs sleep, and occasions 
febrile irritation, and sometimes tenesmus, 
with mucous discharge from the arms, indi- 
gestion, and itching of the nostrils. 
M. M. Clysters of lime-water, injection 
of tobacco-smoke. Mercurial ointment in- 
troduced into the anus. Aloes and steel, 
both by the mouth and in the form of enema. 
Saline purgatives. Ilarrowgate water, so as 
to induce six or seven stools every morning. 
The lumbricus is the most common. Its 
symptoms are enumerated in the article In- 
fancy. Lutnbrici are of very different 
lengths ard magnitude ; they are principally 
found in (he smaller intestines, but are situ- 
ated occasionally both in the stomach and 
larger intestines. These worms have been 
known to fierce through the coats of the ali- 
mentary canal, and have thus occasioned 
most excruciating pains and death. 
The taoe worms are sometimes voided of 
an enormous length : they have been stated 
to be from two to forty feet long. They 
properly consist of an united chain of separate 
animals ; as, when broken, each portion has 
the powe' of reproduction. “ The worms 
of this gums possess a wonderful power of 
retaining life. Two of them, which were 
voided Iq a pointer dog in consequence of 
violent purgatives, each of which was seve- 
ral feet ii length, had boiling water poured 
on them in a bason, which seemed not much 
to incoirenience them. When the water 
was cool, they were taken out, and put into 
gin or whisky of the strongest kind, in which 
their life and activity continued unimpaired, 
and tliey were at length killed by adding to 
the spirit a quantity of corrosive sublimate.” 
The symptoms are much the same with 
those of the lumbrici, but more urgent. 
M. M See Materia Medica, section 
Anthelmntics. 
Spasmodic Affections continued. 
Sect. II. In the vital Functions. 
Genus I. Palpitatio, palpitation. See 
Syncope 
Genus II. As hma. 
Symptoms. Difficult respiration return- 
ing at intervals, with a sense of tightness 
across the breast. Wheezing at the com- 
mencement of the asthmatic tits; scarcely 
any cough but what is hard : towards the 
close of the paroxysm it however becomes 
more free, attended with a discharge of 
mucus. 
r l hese symptoms certainly arise from a 
spasmodic construction of the bronchial 
iibres, “ which is communicated by consent 
to the larynx and diaphragm.” 
The causes of asthma are numerous, while 
its predisposition is often hereditary, and de- 
pendant upon a peculiar conformation and 
temperament; the actual disease may be ex- 
cited by intemperance either in eating or 
drinking, violent exercise, mental agitation, 
eruptions or discharges abruptly or unseason- 
ably repelled ; the fumes of metallic poison, 
as of lead, Sec. 
M. M. Spasmodic asthma, when fully 
established, scarcely admits of a radical cure. 
The paroxysms to be relieved by opium and 
aether; coffee; tonics in the intervals, princi- 
pally of the class of bitters and aromatics. 
Avoid distending the stomach inordinately. 
Emetics ; enemas previous to the expected 
accession; gentle horse exercise ; pure air; 
oxygen gas. If eruptions have been repelled, 
encleavourto restore them. 
Genus III. Dyspnoea, difficulty of breath- 
ing. This is improperly introduced into the 
nosology as a genus, it being merely a symp- 
tom ot other diseases, consequent upon de- 
fective formation of the chest, or brought 
on by evident causes, which being removed, 
the disorder immediately declines. 
Genus IV. Pertussis, hooping cough. 
Symptoms. Convulsive strangulating cough, 
with noisy inspiration or hooping, and some- 
times attended with vomiting. It is conta- 
gious. 
The precise nature, or, as physicians ex- 
press themselves, the proximate cause of 
hooping cough, does not seem to have been 
accurately ascertained. Dr. Darwin sup- 
poses it to be “ an inflammation of the mem- 
branes which line the air-vessels of the 
lungs, and that it only differs from peripneu- 
nomia superficialis in the circumstance of its 
being contagious.” He on this account enu- 
merates it among the sensitive irritated fe- 
vers: we are inclined, however, to think that 
the infection principally operates upon the 
stomach ; and that the inflammatory disorder 
of the mucous membrane is merely a conse- 
quence of the protraction, or erroneous treat- 
ment, of the complaint. It is not attended, 
in the first instance at least, with the symp- 
toms of inflammatory irritation ; and the vo- 
miting, by which the violent lits are often re- 
lieved, proves that the stomach, in pertussis, 
is in a morbidly irritable state. 
It deserves however to be remarked, that 
the membrane in question is very apt to par- 
take of the prevailing irritation, to become 
inflamed, and thus, like the inflammation af- 
ter small-pox, and measles more especially, 
to lay the foundation of consumption of the 
lungs. 
M. M. Antimonial emetics. Very small 
doses. Warm bathing. Above all, digitalis ; 
in no disease, perhaps, is the power of this 
149 
valuable medicine displayed more forcibly 
and evidently than in hooping cough. Its 
effects are generally almost instantaneous. 
After the violence of trie disease has sub- 
sided, and even before, change of air. Cic- 
cuta (conium maculatum) has been much 
employed in this complaint. 
Sect. III. In the animal functions. 
Genus I. Bt/rasis. Water-brash of Scot- 
land. Water-qualm. 
Symptoms. Sudden eructation of watery 
fluid with or without heartburn ; the fluid 
brought from the stomach sometimes insi- 
pid. 
II. M. The author of the present article 
recently had an opportunity of witnessing 
in this disease the beneficial effects of the in- 
halation of tobacco-smoke by a person not 
previously accustomed to smoking ; this 
man had taken tonics, antispasmodics, and an- 
tacids, without effect. “ A grain of opium 
twice a day, soap, iron powder, a blister.” 
(Darwin.) 
Genus II. Colica, colic. 
Symptoms. Permanent and excruciating 
pain in the belly, with a sensation as of twist- 
ing about the navel, constipation, and some- 
times vomiting. 
Causes. These symptoms evidently ori- 
ginate from spasmodic constriction in some 
part of the intestinal canal, which may be 
occasioned by various causes ; such as indi- 
gestible food, the sudden application of cold ; 
acrid substances received into the stomach ; 
poisons, especially lead ; hence colic is a 
kind of epidemic disease among painters, 
attended with paralysis of the arms, &c. It 
is likewise common in cyder countries. 
M. M. Opium. Cathartics, principally 
of castor oil. Warm bathing. Anodyne 
clysters. Fomentations and blisters to the 
part. In obstinate cases of the painters’ 
colic, Bath waters. Carefully obviate the 
exciting causes of the disease. 
Genus III. Ch olera. 
Symptoms. Vomiting and purging of bi- 
lious matter, violent pains in the stomach and 
bowels, with great anxiety and irritability. 
Cholera is one of the diseases of the au- 
tumnal months ; it is very often produced by 
the sudden succession of cold to unusually 
warm weather : it sometimes follows the tak- 
ing of indigestible substances, as of much 
cold cucumber, especially at the period of 
the year above-mentioned, when ttie direct- 
ly debilitating power of cold abruptly suc- 
ceeds to the indirectly debilitating operation 
of heat, and the biliary secretion is more than 
ordinarily copious. 
M. M. During the violence of the vomit- 
ing and purging, give water-gruel, and in- 
ject starch clysters, to each of which add 
tincture of opium. After the disorder has 
in some measure subsided, restore due ex- 
citement by cordial and nourishing diet, 
with stomachic medicines. If febrile irrita- 
tion is. induced, the saline draught, com-, 
posed of salt of wormwood and lemon-juice. 
Genus IV. Diarrlnm. 
Symptoms. Frequent stools, without pri- 
mary pyrexia, and not induced, by con- 
tagion. 
A morbid action in the excre lories of the 
intestines constitute.- this disease: sometimes 
however, and frequently, purging arises 
