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Biet, de Med. et de Chir. prat. art. Acephalocystes, p. 260.) A successful caseof the use ofergot in this affection has been published by Dr. Macgill. (Bayle,op. oii. p. 471.) In uterine polypus, ergot has been exhibited with the vievv ofhastening the descent of the lumour from the Uterus into the vagina, so as torender it readily aecessible for mechanical exlirpation (Dr. H. Davies, Lond.Med. and Phys. Joum. vol. liv. p. 102, 1825); for it is well known, that untilthis is effected, the patient is continually subjeet to hemorrhage, which, in somecases, proves fatal. In some instances ergot has caused the expulsion of a po-lypus. (Lancet, 1828-9, vol. i. p. 24.)

5. To restrain uterine hemorrhage, ivhether puerperal or non-puerperal. —Ergot checks hemorrhage from the vvomb, principally, if not solely,by excitingcontraction of the muscular fibres of this viscus, by which its blood-vessels arecompressed and emplied, and their orifices closed. The experience of physi-cians and surgeons in all parts of the civilized world has fully and incontestiblyestablished the efficaey of ergot as a remedy for uterine hemorrhage. (See thelist of cases in Bayle's Bibl. Therap. iii. 543.) Maisonneuve and Trousseau,(Butt, de Th&ra/p. t. iv.; also, Trousseau and Pidoux, Traue de Therap. i. 540.)have shovvn that the beneficial influence of ergot is exerted equally in the unim-pregnated as in the impregnated State ; proving, therefore, that the contraryStatement of Prescott and Villeneuve is incorrect. Even in a case of Cancer ofthe uterus they have found it check the sanguineous discharge. In femalessubjeet to profuse uterine hemorrhages after deiivery, ergot may be admi-nistered as a preventive, just before the birth of the child. (Roche, Biet, deMed. et Chir. prat. art. Ergot, p. 455.) Even in placenta presentations, a doseor two of ergot may be administered previously to the deiivery being under-taken. (Dr. F. H. Ramsbotham, Lond. Med. Gaz. xiv. 660.) to restrain ex-cessive discharge of the lochia or catamenia, this remedy is sometimes mostbeneficial.

6. To provoke abortion, and to proinote it when this process has commencedand is aecompanied with hemorrhage. —Under certain circumstances the prac-titioner finds it expedient to produce the abortion : as in serious hemorrhageduring pregnancy, and in deformed pelves which do not admit the passage of afull-grown foetus" In such cases the ergot may be employed with great advan-tage, (Lond. Med. Gaz. xiv. p. 434 ; also, Dr. Weihe, in op. cit. vol. xviii. 543).When abortion has already commenced, ergot may be employed to quickenthe process and check hemorrhage.

7. In leucorrhtza and gonorrheea. —Ergot was first given in leucorrhcea byDr. M. Hall, [Lond. Med. and Phys. Joum. May 1829); and was subsequentlyemployed by Dr. Spajrani, {Lancet, Feb. 5th, 1831,) with success ; and ineight cases by Dr. Bazzoni, [Bayle, p. 509,) seven of these were cured by it.Dr Negri, [Lond. Med. Gaz. xiii. p. 369,) published seven successful cases ofits use. Its efficaey has been confirmed by many other practitioners. Dr.Negri also used it with apparent benefit in gonorrheea, in both the male andfemale. He concludes that"secale cornutum has a peculiar action on themueous membranes ; but if exhibited when there is a State of acute inflamma-tion, their morbid secretions may be considerably increased ; on the contrary,when a more chronic form of inflammation does exist, the secale cornutum mayhave a beneficial influence in arresting their preternatural discharge."

8. In hemorrhages generally. —The power possessed by ergot of excitinguterine contractions, readily explains the efficaey of this agent in restrainingsanguineous discharges from the womb ; but we can in no way understand howhemorrhage from other Organs can be influenced by it. We are not, however,to deny the therapeutic power of a medicine merely because we cannot explainits modus medendi, though we are justified in requiring abundant proofs ere weadmit it. It must be acknowledged, that a considerable number of cases havebeen published in proof of the power possessed by ergot of checking hemor-

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