INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS.

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rubbing the spine, in case any tingling-, or other symptoms of thepalsy are felt. When the tar cannot be obtained, the back maybe rubbed with strong spirits, or a little oil of nutmeg, or of rose-mary.

If the patient remain weak and languid after this disease, hemust take exercise on horseback, and use an infusion of the Peru-vian bark in wine. When the disease ends in palsy, the Bathwaters are found to be extremely proper.

To avoid this kind of colic, people must shun all sour fruits, acidand austere liquors, «fcc. Those who work in lead ought never togo to their business fasting, and their food should be oily or fat.They may take a glass of salad oil, with a little brandy or rum,every morning, but should never take spirits alone. Liquid ali-ment is best for them ; as fat broths, &c, but low living is bad.They should frequently go a little out of the tainted air ; andshould never suffer themselves to be costive. In the West Indies,and on the coast of Guinea, it has been found of great use, forpreventing this colic, to wear a piece of flannel round the wai-1,and to drink an.infusion of ginger by way of tea.

Sundry other kinds of this disease might be mentioned, but toomany distinctions would tend only to perplex the reader. Thosealready mentioned are the most material, and should, indeed, be at-tended to, as their treatment is very different. But even personswho are not in a condition to distinguish very accurately in thesematters, may nevertheless be of great service to patients in colicsof every kind, by only observing the following general rules, viz.To bathe the feet and legs in warm water ; to apply bladders fill-ed with warm water, or clothes wrung out of it, to the stomach andbowels ; to make the patient drink freely of diluting mucilaginousliquers ; and to give him an emollient clyster every two or threehours. Should these not succeed, the patient ought to be immers-ed in warm water.

Inflammation of the Kidneys. (Nephritis.)

Properly considered, inflammation of the kidneys appears to beof two kinds; one arising from the general causes of inflamma-tion, and seated principally in the external membrane of the kid-neys, the other occasioned by the stimulus of the gravel or stonein the pelvis or cavity of it, and the inflammation occupying theinterior parts. It is the first that is here noticed ; the other willbe referred to under the head of Stone and Gravel.

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Causes. — This disease may proceed from any of those causeswhich produce an inflammatory fever. It may likewise be occa-sioned by wounds or bruises of the kidneys ; small stones or gravellodging within them by strong diuretic medicines ; as spirits ofturpentine, tincture of cantharides, &c. Violent motion, aahard riding or walking, especially in hot weather, or whateverdrives the blood too forcibly into the kidneys, may occasion thismalady. It may likewise proceed from lying too soft, too muchon the back, involuntary contractions, or spasms, in the urinaryvessels, &e.

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