242

BLEEDING AND BLIXD PILES.

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The ¡»iles may be occasioned by an excess of blood, by strongaloctic purges, bigh-seasoned food, drinking great quantities ofsweet wines, tbe neglect of bleeding, or other customary evacua-tions, much riding, great costiveness, or any thing that occasionshard and difficult stools. Anger, grief, or other violent passions,will likewise occasion the piles. 1 have often known them broughton by sitting on the damp ground. A pair of thin breeches willexcite the disorder in a person who is subject to it, and sometimeseven in those who never had it before. Pregnant women are oftenafflicted w r ith the piles.

A flux of blood from the anus is not always to be treated as adisease. It is even more salutary than bleeding at the nose, andoften prevents or carries off diseases. It is peculiarly beneficial inthe gout, rheumatism, asthma, and hypochondriacal complaints,and often proves critical in colics, and inflammatory fevers.

In the treatment of piles due attention should be paid to thecause from which they have arisen ; and as costiveness is one ofthe most frequent, the bowels ought to be kept open and regularby means of gentle laxative medicines;* andas a habit may beacquired, the patient will do well to observe stated times in theday for endeavouring to obtain motions, but without straining.Should none be procured by the aid of the laxative medicine, theperistaltic motion may be excited by clysters of tepid water withsoap and oil.

In the management of the patient, regard must be had to hishabit of body, his age, strength, and manner of living. A dischargewhich might be excessive and prove hurtful to one, may be verymoderate, and even salutary to another. That only is to beesteemed dangerous, which continues too long, and is in suchquantity as to waste the patient's strength, hurt the digestion,nutrition, and other functions necessary to life.

When this is the case, the discharge must be checked by aproper regimen, and astringent medicines. The Diet must becool but nourishing, consisting chiefly of bread, milk, coolingvegetables, and broths. The Drink may be chalybeate water,orange-whey, decoctions or infusions of the astringent and muci-laginous plants, as the tormentil root, bistort, the marsh-mallowroots, &c.

Old conserve of red roses is very good medicine in this case. Itmay be mixed with new milk, and taken in the quantity of anounce three or four times a-day. This medicine is in no greatrepute, owing to its being seldom taken in such quantity as to pro-duce any effects ; but when taken as here directed, and duly per-sisted in, I have known it perform very extraordinary cures inviolent haemorrhages, especially when assisted by tbe tincture ofroses ; a tea-cupful of which may be taken about an hour afterevery dose of the conserve.

* Take Lenitive Electuary, 2 oz.

Powdered Jalap, 2 drs.

Nitrate of Potash, 1J drm.

Syrup of Buckthorn, enough to Form anelectuary. The bulk of a nutmeg to betaken occasionally.

Take Castor Oil,

orTake Powdered Jalap,Cream of Tartar.Make a powder for a dose.

6 drs. to I oi

1 scr.

2 sera.