Oi A D1ARRHCEA, OR LOOSENESS.

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thty are salutary, ami may be allowed to go on, or rather ought to beproruo ed. But when the patient is weakened by the evacuations,wh ch may be known from the sinking of his pulse, &c. recoursemust immediately be had to opiates, as recommended above; to whichmay be added strong wines, with spirituous cinnamon waters, and othergenerous cordials. Warm negus or strong wine-whey will likewise benecessary to support the patient's spirits, and promote the perspiration.His legs should be bathed in warm water, and afterwards rubbed withflannel cloths, or wrapped in warm blankets, and warm bricks appliedto the soles of his feet. Flannels wrung out of warm spirituous io-mentations should likewise be applied to the region of the stomach.

When the violence of the disease is over, to prevent a relapse, it willbe necessary for some time to continue the use of small doses of laudanum.Ten or twelve drops may be taken in a glass of wine, at least twice a-day,for eight or ten days. The patient's food ought to be nourishing, buttaken in small quantities, and he should use moderate exercise. As thestomach and intestines are generally much weakened, an infusion of thebark or other bitters, in small wine, sharpened with the elixir of vitriol,may be drank for some time.

Though physicians are seldom called in due time in this disease, theyought not to despair of relieving the patient even in the most desperatecircumstances. Of this I lately saw a very striking proof in an old manand his son, who had both been seized with it about the middle of thenight. I did not see them till next morning, when tiiey had muchmore the appearance of dead than of living men. No pulse could befelt; the extremities were cold and rigid, the countenance was ghastly,and the strength almost quite exhausted. Yet from this deplorable con-li'tion they were both recovered by the use of opiates and cordial medi-c'uies.

OF A DIARRHCEA, OR LOOSENESS.

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A looseness, in many cases, is not to be considered as a disease, butrather as a salutary evacuation. It ought therefore never to be stopped,unless when it continues too long, or evidently weakens the patient. Asthis however sometimes happens, we shall point out the most commoncauses of a looseness, with the proper method of treatment.

When a looseness is occasioned by catching cold, or an obstructedperspiration, the patient ought to keep warm, to drink freely of weakdiluting liquors, to bathe his feet and legs frequently in lukewarm water,to wear flannel next his skin, and to take every other method to restorethe perspiration.

In a looseness which proceeds from cxeess or repletion, a vomit is theproper medicine. Vomits not only cleanse the stomach, but promote allthe secretions, which renders them of great importance in carrying offa debauch. Half a drachm of ipecacuanha in powder will answer thispurpose very well. A day or two after the vomit, the same quantity <>rhubarb may be taken, and repeated two or three times, if the loosenerscontinues. The patient ought to live upon light vegetable food of easvdigestion, and to drink whey, thin gruel, or barley-water.

A looseness occasioned by the obstrudiion of any customary evacuation generally requites bleeding. If that does not succeed, other

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