SCIRRHUS AND CANCER.

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He advises the patient, however, to begin with very small doses,as two or three grains, and to increase the dose gradually till somegood effect be perceived, and there to rest without further increase.From two or three grains at first, the Doctor says he has increasedthe dose to two, three, or four drachms a-day, and finds that suchdoses may be continued for several weeks without any bad conse-quences.

The regimen which the Doctor recommends during the use ofthe medicine, is to avoid farinaceous substances not fermented,and too acrid aromatics. He says good wine will not be hurtfulto those who are accustomed to it, nor a moderate use of acids ;and adds, that the patient should live in a pure free air, and keephis mind as quiet and cheerful as possible.

The Doctor does not pretend to fix the time in which a cancermay be resolved by the use of hemlock, but says he has given itfor above two years in large doses without any apparent benefit ;nevertheless the patient has been cured by persisting in the use ofit for half a year longer. This is at least encouragement to giveit a fair trial. Though we are far from thinking the hemlock mer-its those extravagant encomia which the Doctor has bestowed up-on it, yet in a disease which has so long baffled the boasted pow-ers of medicine, we think it ought always to be tried, at least, dur-ing the occult or scirrhous state. Deadly nightshade and henbaneare medicines of the same class with hemlock, and the timelyuse of them has sometimes proved advantageous in glandular tu-mours and indurations that are likely to become cancerous. Thesehave also been employed, with others of the narcotic class, in ex-ternal applications, as well as the hemlock. When used in thisway the leaves may be boiled in milk, so as to form a decoctionsufficiently strong, with which the part is to be frequently fomented.

The powder of hemlock is by some preferred to the extract.They are both made of the fresh leaves, and may be used nearlvin the same manner. Dr. Nicholson of Berwick says, he graduallyincreased the dose of the powder from a few grains to half adrachm, and gave near four drachms of it in a day with remarka-bly good effects. The hemlock may also be used externally eitheras a poultice or fomentation. The sore may likewise be keptclean by injecting daily a strong decoction of the tops of leavesinto it.

Few things contribute more to the healing of foul sordid ulcersof any kind than keeping them thoroughly clean. This ought nev-er to be neglected. The best application for this purpose seemsto be the carrot poultice. The root of the common carrot mñ)be grated, and moistened with as much water as will bring it tothe consistence of a' poultice or cataplasm. This must be appliedto the sore, and renewed twice a-day. It generally cleans thesore, eases the pain, and takes away the disagreeable smell, whichare objects of no small importance in such a dreadful disorder.*In every species of open cancer, the air should be excluded asmuch as possible ; a double covering of oil-silk may therefore beapplied over the dressings.

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* Londop Medical Essays,