■

The Materia Medica. 25

long ftanding, and lately Dr. Wiihering has recommendedthern in hydropic cafes, as a&ing, if not univerfally, morcgenerälly, as a diuretic than any other medicine. Fox-glove, it muß be owned, highly deferves the attention of•phyficians; but it would be criminal to repeat its recommen-dation,even in hydropic habits,—not oftenthe moft irritable,•—without, at the fame time, mentioning, that Dr. Wither-ing has known the pulfe retarded by it to an alarrning degreewithout any preceding effedr, — that he gives it in a veryfmall dofe, — that it is of confequence not to repeat thedofes tco quickly, but to allow fufficient time for the efiedlsofeach totake place,—ashe hasfound it verypoffibleto pourin an injurious quantity of the medicine before any of thefignals for forbearance have appcared;—and that its ufe is to befiopped on the appearance of its affedling the pulfe, the fto-macn, the kidneys, or the bowels. (See IViihcrhig on Fox-glovd, 8vo. 1785.) Two inftances are mentioned, by Dr.SimmonSj of virulent effecls from dofes too large. Land. Med.Journ. Vol. VI.

As too much weight can fcarcely be given to Dr. IVither-ing's cautions, I will add, that, in 1738, when a youth, af-ter having taken fome of a weak infufion without any re-markable efficT:, fix grains of the powder were one morn-ing given nie, from which, in the evening, after moft hor-ridanxiety, and the vibiaticn, as it feemeu to me, of everynbre, amoft violent vomitinp' can.e on, and continued almcft»nceflkntly the whole night; during which, from defpair ofmy furviving, repeated dofes of TinÄ. Theb. were givenand ejedled j— nor was a calm procured before the next

rnorrung,