1804.] 
Ruheolaisscinciee am stain Vctin® 6 Ruelsiejes 7 
Scarlatina...... 
ee 9 
DIVTENCCR RA, cus = Soak ae wie nla 5 
Elerion ona dk ice ae ah ees 2 
The difeafe of hemorrhois appeared in 
one of the inftances to have originated 
principally from mental irrifation, its fre- 
quent recurrence, at leait, was uniformly 
preceded by fuch a ftate of mind. A re- 
markable elucidation this fact affords of 
the important fympathy which aétually 
exifts between one and another, ap- 
parently unconnected, part of the human 
fyftem. The repofe and quiet of the con- 
{titution form an important and, perhaps, 
an indifpenfable ingredient in the cure of 
the diforder, 
Out of the pale of Difpenfary practice 
there occurred a patient with an inflamma- 
tion, which was fuccceded by an ulcera- 
tion of the rectum: this was cured by the 
operation of a very violent, or what is tech- 
nically termed a draffic, purgative ; it aét- 
ed in the manner of a furgical operation ; 
the preceding pain was exceflively aggra- 
vated during the paffage of the remedy 
through the body; but inftantly afterwards 
the pain was relieved, and never fince has 
recurred. 
In two cafes of afthenia, or exhaufted- 
ftrength, one the relict of typhoid fever, 
and the other produced by a courfe of me- 
dicinal treatment, the Reporter prefcrib- 
ed, not merely the temperate adminiftra- 
tion of corroborative regimen and reme- 
dies, but likewife, a point that appeared 
to him of confiderable importance, that 
they fhould be frequently waried during 
the procefs of convalefcence. He acted up- 
on the principle, that by changing the kind, 
he rendered it lefs neceflary to increale the 
quantity of the reftorative agents. If, af- 
ter a certain period, any one {timulant or 
tonic have lott in fome degree its power of 
aéting, another be applied, although not 
originally or intrinfically fuperior in pow- 
er, it wiil preferve a continuity of pro- 
grefs, which might otherwife be interrupt 
ed, towards the ftate of perfect reftoration. 
The dofe ought not to be increaled, but 
the ingredients which compofe it fhould 
be changed or newly modified in their ad- 
miniftration. Bark fhould alternate with 
feel, port with madeira, coffee with tea ; 
and when all phyfical ftimuli fail, they 
fhould, in cafes that acmit of it, be rein- 
forced by the aid of moral and intellectual 
excitation. 
In an initance of inveterate and heredi- 
tary epilepfy, where. moft of the ufual 
modes of treatment had been tried in vain, 
the Reporter was lately induced to fubject 
Montsiry Mags, No, 121. 
Repert of Difeafes. 
345 
the patient toa complete courfe of mercu- 
ry,—a medicine which, from its alterae 
tive and penetrating power, it was not un- 
reafonable to believe, might work an im- 
portant and falutary change m the cha. 
racter of his conftitution. The experi- 
ment is not as yet advanced fo far, as to 
authorize a decided opinion witi regard 
to the ultimate refult; tut, from the ap- 
parent amelioration which has a'ready 
taken place, there is fufficient ground. to 
hope, that the propriety of this trial will 
be juftified by the fuccefs of its termina- 
tion. It is of material confequence, that 
epilepfy fhould be attended to and vigo= 
roully oppofed in its earlielt ftaze; as the 
recurrence of each paroxy{m is calculated 
to accelerate and aggravate the fymptoms 
of the fucceeding ; and likewife to fink 
deeper and fix more firmly the root of the 
difeate. 
Its influence on the ii‘elleétual faculties 
is a matter of ferious and awful impore 
tance. Every fit, aithough in general 
confidered as merely a corporeal malady, 
commits a depredation upon the mind, 
which is found gradually to wear away by 
the frequent and violent invafions of this 
dieadful diforder. Imbecility and idiocy 
are the ordinary, and almoft inevitable, 
eonfequences of its protracted exiftence in 
the conftitution. 
Typhus, which appeared fo frequently 
in the earlier years of the Reporter’s expe 
rience, feems now to be almof abolithed. 
The prefent rarity of its occurrence cats 
{carcely be accounted for. No meral or 
phiyfical agent, that we know of, can exs 
plain the phenometion. Perhaps, fome myf{- 
terious and clandeftine alteration that has 
taken place in the condition of the atmo- 
{phere may be the real caule of the change 
in the exiftent flate of difeafe. Although 
typhus do not prevail, complaints which 
bear an affinity to it have occurred. Seve- 
ral patients labouring under {carlatina have 
been recently under the care of the Difpen- 
fary. In this month, as in the preceding, 
the free admiffion and circulation of pure 
and cool air, as well as frigid ablution, 
has been infifted upon as a matter of pecu- 
liar and cardinal importance; but, in one 
or two inftances, they were obflina‘ely ob= 
jected to; they were agreeable, and on 
that account thought not medicinat. 
The proceds of cure in dileafe is apt to 
be regarded, by both the opulent .and 
indigent vulgar, as neceflarily a painful 
operation. The idea that prevhils, is, 
that what is not cbnoxious to the feelings 
of an invalid, cannot be conducive to his 
recovery. The contrary, howeyer, is, in 
2% mo 
