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DYSENTERY, OR BLOODY FLUX.

greasy and frothy, afterwards they are streaked with blood, and atlast have frequently the appearance of pure blood, mixed withsmall filaments resembling bits of skin. Worms are sometimespassed both upwards and downwards, through the whole course ofthe disease. When the patient goes to stool, he feels a bearingdown, as if the whole bowels were falling out, and sometimes apart of the intestine is actually protruded, which proves exceeding-ly troublesome, especially in children. Flatulency is likewise a.troublesome symptom, especially towards the end of the disease.

This disease may be distinguished from a diarrhoea, or looseness,by the acute pain of the bowels, and the blood which generallyappears in the stools. It may be distinguished from the cholera mor-bus by its not being attended with such violent and frequent fits ofvomiting, &c.

AVhen the dysentery attacks the old, the delicate, or such ashave been wasted by the gout, the scurvy, or other lingering dis-eases, it generally proves fatal. Vomiting and hiccuping are badsigns, as they show an inflammation of the stomach. When thestools are green, black, or have an exceedingly disagreeable cadav-erous smell, the danger is very great, as it shows the disease to beof the putrid kind. It is an unfavourable symptom when clystersare immediately returned ; but still more so when the passage is soobstinately shut that they cannot be injected. A feeble pulse,coldness of the extremities, with difficulty of swallowing, and con-vulsions, are signs of approaching death.

Regimen. — Nothing is of more importance in this disease thancleanliness. It contributes greatly to the recovery of the patient,and no less to the safety of such as attend him. In ail contagiousdiseases the danger is increased, and the infection spread, by theneglect of cleanliness, but in no one more than in this. Everything about the patient should be frequently changed. The excre-ments should never be suffered to continue in his chamber, butremoved immediately, and buried under ground. A constantPtream of fresh air should be admitted into the chamber, and itought frequently to be sprinkled with vinegar, juice of lemon,or some other strong acids.

The patient must not be discouraged, but his spirits kept up inhopes of a cure. Nothing tends more to render any putrid diseasemortal than the fears and apprehensions of the sick. All diseasesof this nature have a tendency to sink and depress the spirits, andwhen that is increased by fears and alarms from those whom thepatient believes to be persons of skill, it cannot fail to have theworst effect.

A flannel waistcoat worn next the skin has often a very goodeffect in the dysentery. This promotes the perspiration, withoutoverheating the body. Great caution, however, is necessary, inleaving it off. I have often known a dysentery brought on by im-prudently throwing off a flannel waistcoat before the season wassufficiently warm. For whatever purpose this piece of dress isworn, it should never be left off but in a warm season.

In this disease the greatest attention must be paid to the patient'sdiet ; flesh, fish, and every thing that has a tendency to turn putrid