62 
ON THERAPEUTICS. 
the elements of bile, broken-up blood-discs, and various 
salts are by their aid eliminated from the system. The sup¬ 
pression of the secretion for any time is attended with the 
most serious consequences, while its excess is scarcely less 
injurious. 
Although less exhausting than catharsis, polyuria causes 
debility in a much shorter time than would be imagined 
from the nature of the fluid secreted. In using diuretic 
agents, therefore, the full development of their action should 
never be sought; the more particularly as the excitement, 
when once produced, is likely to continue for some time, as 
very slight causes suffice to keep up the irritation. 
Diuretics are popularly employed in a variety of cases 
where the secretion of urine is defective, without reference 
to the cause of such defect. The favorite occasions are 
“ disurea,” difficult urination from calcareous deposit, or 
from partial strangury. Diuretics are also frequently ex¬ 
hibited in various forms of dropsical effusion, as swollen legs, 
serous abscess, “ anasarca/’ farcy, grease, effusion into the 
cavities of the thorax or abdomen, and in a variety of skin 
affections, under the name of surfeit. 
How far the use of diuretics is beneficial in these instances 
we propose to inquire. 
The first disease, “ disurea,” is essentially defective secre- 
tion, arising from a want of tone in the system. Horses that 
are severely worked, and roughly treated, are particularly 
subject to the affection, which readily yields to a course of 
mild tonics, liberal diet, and rest, or at least moderate work. 
Diuretics produce a temporary amelioration by exciting 
secretion ; the original disease, however, is rather added to 
than diminished by such treatment. The employment of 
diuretics in c< strangury,” or difficult urination from calca¬ 
reous deposit, is obviously indefensible; nor should we deem 
it at all probable that such a course would be instituted, 
excepting as the result of an incorrect diagnosis. 
Dropsical disease affords a more plausible pretext for the 
use of diuretic medicines. The apparent excess of water 
in the system is at once a justification for the use of any 
means which may remove that fluid through an appropriate 
channel. 
This reasoning, however, is only true with certain modi¬ 
fications. The matter demands some consideration. 
First, is it not the case that, in most instances of dropsy 
of any part of the body, local or general debility is pre¬ 
sent ? and further, is it not true that diuretics, although 
