An Account Of The Foxglove And Some Of Its Medical Uses Part 17

Miss M---- M----, in her 20th year. Had been infirm from her cradle, and, after various sufferings, had an astonishing dematous swelling of one leg and thigh, of many weeks standing. She pa.s.sed little or no urine, and had all her other complaints. She took 2 spoonfuls of an eight oz. decoction of two drams, twice a day. Her urine immediately increased; and, on the third day, the swelling had entirely subsided.

CASE XV.

Mr. P----, 65 years of age, and of a full habit of body. Had lived freely in his youth, and for many years led rather an inactive life.

His health was much impaired several months, and he had a considerable distention, and evident fluctuation in the abdomen, and a very great dema of the legs and thighs. His breathing was very short, and rather laborious, appet.i.te bad, and thirst considerable. His belly was bound, and he pa.s.sed very small quant.i.ties of high-coloured urine, that deposited a reddish matter. He had taken medicines some time, and, I believe, the Digitalis; and had been better.

A blister was applied to the upper and inside of each thigh; he took two spoonfuls of the decoction, with three drams of the dry leaves, two or three times a day; and some opening physic occasionally.

He lived at a considerable distance, and I did not visit him a second time; but I was well informed, about ten days or a fortnight afterwards, that his urine increased amazingly upon taking the decoction, and that the water was entirely evacuated.

CASE XVI.

Mrs. G----, aged 50 years. After being long ailing, had a large collection of water in the abdomen and lower extremities. Her urine was high-coloured, in small quant.i.ties, and had a reddish sediment.

She took the decoction of Digitalis, squills, &c. without any effect.

The chrystals of tartar, however, cured her speedily.

CASE XVII.

Mr. ----, about 50 years of age, complained of great tension and pain across the abdomen, and of loss of appet.i.te; his urine, he thought, was less than usual, but the difference was so trifling he could speak with no certainty: his belly seemed to fluctuate. Among other things he tried the Foxglove leaves dried, twice a day; and, although it appeared to afford him relief, yet the effect was not permanent.

CASE XVIII.

Mr. W----, aged between 60 and 70 years; and rather corpulent: was considerably dropsical, both of the belly and legs, and his urine in small quant.i.ties. Three grains of the dry leaves, twice a day, evacuated the water in less than a fortnight.

CASE XIX.

Sarah Taylor, 40 years of age, was admitted into the Dispensary for dropsy of the abdomen and legs; and was relieved by the Decoctum digitalianum.

CASE XX.

Lydia Smith, aged 60. Dispensary. Laboured many years under an asthma, and became dropsical. She took the decoction without effect.

CASE XXI.

John Leadbeater, aged 15 years. Had a quotidian intermittent, which was removed by the humane a.s.sistance of an amiable young lady. His intermittent was soon attended by a very considerable ascites; for which he became a patient of the Dispensary. He took a decoction of Foxglove night and morning. His urine increased immediately, and he lost all his complaints in four days.

CASE XXII.

William Millar, aged 50 years. Admitted into the Dispensary for a tertian ague, and general dropsy. The dropsy continuing after the ague was removed, and his urine being still pa.s.sed in small quant.i.ties; he took the powdered leaves, and recovered his health in five days.

CASE XXIII.

Ann Wakelin, 10 years of age. Had for several weeks a dropsy of the belly after an ague. She took a decoction of Foxglove, which removed all complaint by the fourth day.

CASE XXIV.

Ann Meachime; a Dispensary patient. Had an ascites and scantiness of urine. She took the powder of Foxglove, and evacuated all her water in three days.

It may not be improper to observe, 1st. That various diuretics had long been given in many of these cases before I was consulted. And, 2dly. That the exhibition of the Foxglove was but seldom attended with sickness.

REMARKS.

These Cases, thus liberally communicated by my friend, Dr. Jones, are more acceptable, as they seem to contain a faithful abstract from his notes, both of the unsuccessful as well as the successful Cases.

The following Tabular View of them will give us some Idea of the efficacy of the Medicine.

Anasarca 7 Cases Cured 3 Relieved 1 Failed 3 Ascites 5 Cases Cured 4 Relieved 1 dematous leg 1 Case Cured 1 Ascites and anasarca 7 Cases Cured 4 Relieved 2 Failed 1 Asthma and dropsy 1 Case Failed 1 Hydrothorax and gout 1 Case Cured 1 ----, ascites and anasarca-- 2 Cases Cured 2

A CASE of Anasarca communicated by Mr.

JONES, Surgeon, in Birmingham.

Dear SIR,

Having lately experienced the diuretic powers of the Foxglove, in a case of anasarca; I do myself the pleasure of communicating a short history of the treatment to you.

I am, &c.

W. JONES.

Birmingham, May 17th, 1785.

My patient, Mrs. C----, who is in her 51st year, had the following symptoms, viz. alternate swelling of the legs and abdomen, a little cough, shortness of breath in a morning, thirst, weak pulse, and her urine, which was so small in quant.i.ty as seldom to amount to half a pint in twenty-four hours, deposited a clay-coloured sediment.

_April_ 16th, 1785, I directed the following form:

R. Fol. Digitalis siccat. ?ii.

Aq. fontanae bullient. ?viii. f. infus. et cola.

Sumat cochl. larga iii. o. n. et mane.

On the 17th she had taken twice of the infusion, and though by mistake only two tea spoonfuls for a dose, yet the quant.i.ty of urine was increased to about a pint in the twenty-four hours. She was then directed to take two table spoonfuls night and morning. And.

On the 18th, a degree of nausea was produced. A pint and half of urine was made in the last twenty-four hours. During the time above specified she had two or three stools every day. The infusion was now omitted.

On the 19th the swelling of the legs was removed. A degree of nausea took place in the morning, and increased so much during the day, that she vomited up all her food and medicine. As she was very low, and complained of want of appet.i.te, a cordial julep was directed to be taken occasionally, as well as red port and water, mint tea, &c. She informed me that whatever she took generally staid about an hour before it came up again, and that the mint tea staid longest on the stomach. The vomiting decreased gradually, and ceased on the 22d. The discharge of urine remained considerable during the three following days, but its quant.i.ty was not measured.

22d. A dose of neutral saline julep was directed to be taken every fourth hour.

On the 23d she complained of thirst, and thought the discharge of urine not so copious as on the preceding days, therefore the saline julep was continued every fourth hour, with the addition of thirty drops of the following medicine: