MEDICINE. 
bidly increased action of the stomach, with 
Consequent secretion, and vitiation of the 
gastric fluid, marked by an eagerness of ap- 
petite and acidity ; tlie direct effects of 
which are the formation or evolution of sac- 
charine matter, with a certain defect of as- 
similation, preventing the healthy combina- 
tions, and exciting the immediate separa- 
tion of the imperfectly formed chyle by the 
kidneys. Dr. Baillie thinks it probable, 
that diabetes depends, in a considerable de- 
gree, upon a deranged action of the secre- 
tory structure of the kidneys, by which the 
blood there is disposed to new combina- 
tions ; the effect of these combinations is 
the production of a saccharine matter: 'he 
further thinks it probable, at the same time, 
that the chyle may be so imperfectly form' 
fed, as to make the blood be more readily 
changed into a saccharine substance, by the 
action of the kidneys; an opinion well 
worth minute enquiry. 
The cure of this disease consists in con- 
finement, an entire abstinence from every 
species of vegetable matter, a diet solely of 
animal food, and that in as small quantities 
as the stomach will be satisfied with; eme- 
tics, hepatised ammonia and narcotics will 
be necessary, and they should be assisted by 
the daily use of alkalies and lime water ; 
the hepatised ammonia should at first be 
exhibited in doses of five or six drops, 
three or four times a day, the dose is to be 
gradually increased, so as to produce some 
degree of nausea, or slight giddiness, it 
should not be mixed up in draughts, or in 
any other form, as it is readily decomposed, 
but it should be dropped from the phial, at 
the time of using it, into a proper vehicle, 
and taken immediately, distilled water is 
the best vehicle ; an opiate should be ad- 
ministered at bed- time, with from twenty 
to thirty drops of the antimonial wine; 
this plan is to be pursued until the mor- 
bid condition of the stomach is removed, 
the marks of which are, a scarcity and 
high-coloured state of the urine, with 
turbidness, furnishing, on evaporation, an 
offensively-smelling and saltish-tasted resi- 
duum without tenacity, accompanied with 
a want of appetite, and loathing of food : 
at this time tiie tongue and gums will be 
found to have lost their florid red clour, and 
to have become pallid. When this state oc- 
curs, exercise is to be enjoined, and a gra- 
dual return to the use of bread is to be al- 
lowed, and vegetables, such as brocoli, spi- 
nach, peas, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, 
and parsnip, in moderate quantity; these 
last have been observed to have been eaten 
with impunity. The drink should consist of 
such liquors as afford the least saccharine 
matter, as weak brandy or rum and water, 
with the occasional use of bitters. Costive- 
ness must be obviated by gentle laxatives, 
as flowers of sulphur, oil of castor, or alo- 
etics, combined with soap. The exciting 
and keeping up a degree of nausea, with 
proper doses of tartar emetic, is recom- 
mended in the early stages of the disease ; 
the camphor and other narcotics, besides 
opium, are deserving of a trial : alum whey, 
which is made by boiling a drachm of the 
alum in a pint of milk, is said to considera- 
bly reduce the quantity of urine : nut-galls 
and lime-water have been employed with 
success. 
Order IV. Vesauia. Intellectual De^ 
rangements. 
Disorders of the judgment without pyrexy 
or coma. The following are the genera. 1. 
Amentia ; an imbecility of judgment, by 
which people either do not perceive, or do 
not remember, the relations of the things : 
the species are three; connate, from old age, 
from evident external causes. 2. Melancho- 
lia, a partial madness, without dyspepsy or 
indigestion : varying according to the diffe- 
rent subjects concerning which the person 
raves ; and hence, admitting an almost in- 
finite multiplicity of varieties. 3. Mania, 
universal madness; idiophathic and symp- 
tomatic; under tlie former section, men- 
tal and corporeal, or arising from some 
evident disease of the body : under the lat- 
ter, proceeding from poisons, from passion, 
from febrile affection , and hence rather 
referable to the corporeal species. 4. Onei- 
rodynia, a violent and troublesome ima- 
gination in time of sleep. Two species ; O. 
activa, seranambulism, or sleep-walking : 
and O. gravans, night-mare. 
To Mania, with wliich Melancholia is so 
nearly allied, we shall devote an observa- 
tion or two./ 
Mania often arises from intense study, 
violent emotions of the mind,- unrestrained 
passions, long exposure to the scorching 
rays of the sun, overstraining the faculties 
of the mind, intemperance, organic affec- 
tions of the cranium, an hereditary disposi- 
tion, sanguine temperament, long-continued 
melancholy, suppressed evacuations, repel- 
led eruptions, and religious enthusiasm. 
The proximate cause is supposed to consist 
in an increased excitement of the brain. It- 
is distinguished from phrenitis by the ah- 
