SARDONIC LAUGH.—NIGHT-MARE.

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hours a bolus, with ton or twelve grains of musk, and hall" a d nof the Venice treacle. In the mean time the stomach ought to befomented with cloths dipped in warm water, or bladders filledwith warm milk and water should be constantly applied to it. Ihave often seen these produce the most happy effects. The ano-dyne balsam may also be rubbed on the part affected; and anti-hysteric plaster worn upon it for some time after the cramps areremoved, to prevent their return.

In very violent and lasting pains of the stomach, some ido; dought to be let, unless the weakness of the patient forbids it. Whenthe pain or cramps proceed from the suppression of the menues,bleeding is of use. If they be owing to the gout, recourse must behad to spirits, or some of the warm cordial waters. Blisteringplasters ought likewise, in this case, to be applied to the ancles.I have often seen violent cramps and pains of the stomach remov-ed by covering it with a large plaster of treacle of the LondonDispensatory.

Sardonic Lauch. (Risus Sardonicus.)

This disease is principally characterised by a fit of laugir.er,arising without any evident cause, and often continuing in a vio-lent degree for three or four nights, so far as to prevent the patientfrom sleeping. By its duration in this way great debility is pro-duced, accompanied with frequency of the pulse, and other febrilesymptoms ; at which time it either proves fatal by its violence orceases spontaneously.

For the removal of this disease, opium in large doses, musk,castor, asafcetida, camphor, ether, and other antispasmodics haveusually been employed without effect ; so that, indeed, we are hith-erto unacquainted with any remedy that will prove effectual ; thespontaneous cessation, therefore, of the fit is more to be trusted tothan assistance from medicine.

The Night-mare. (Incubus.)

In this disease the patient, in time of sleep, imagines he feels anuncommon oppression of weight about his breast or stomach,which he can by no means shake off. He groans, and sometimescries out, though oftener he attempts to speak in vain. Sometimeshe imagines himself engaged with an enemy, and in danger of be-ing killed, attempts to run away, but finds he cannot. Sometimeshe fancies himself in a house that is on fire, or that he is in dangerof being drowned in a river. He often thinks he is falling over aprecipice, and the dread of being dashed to pieces suddenly awakeshim.

This disorder has been supposed to proceed from too muchblood ; from a stagnation of blood in the brain, lungs, &o. Butit is rather a nervous affection, and arises chiefly from indigestion.Hence we find that persons of weak nerves, who lead a sedentarylife, and live full, are most commonly afflicted with the night-ware.Nothing tends more to produce it than heavy suppers, especiallywhen eaten late, or the patient goes to bed soon after. Wind islikewise a very frequent cause of this disease ; for which reason,

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