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THE DIABETES, Sas.

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corroborants. Half a dram of powder made of equal partsof alum and the gum called dragon's blood may be takenfour times a day, or oftener if the stomach will bear it. Thealum must first be melted in a crucible, afterwards they mayboth be pounded together. Along with every dose of thispowder the patient may take a tea-cupful of the tincture ofroses.*

If the patient's stomach cannot bear the alum in substance,whey may be made of it, and taken in the dose of three orfour ounces three times a day. • The alum whey is preparedby boiling two English quarts of milk over a slow fire, withthree drams of alum, till the curd separates.

Opiates are of service in this disease, even though the pa-tient rests well. They take off spasm and irritation, and atthe same time lessen the force of the circulation. Ten ortwelve drops of liquid laudanum may be taken in a cup of thepatient's drink two or three times a day.

The best corroborants which we know are the Peruvianbark and wine. A dram of bark may be taken in a glass ofred port or claret three times a day. The medicine will beboth more efficacious and less disagreeable if fifteen or twentydrops of the acid elixir of vitriol be added to every dose.Such as cannot take the bark in substance may use the de-coction, mixed with an equal quantity of red wine, and sharp-ened as above.

There is a disease pretty incident to laboring people in thedecline of life, called an incontinency of urine. But this isentirely different from a diabetes, as the water passes off invo-luntarily by drops, and does not exceed the usual quantity.This disease is rather troublesome than dangerous. It isowing to a relaxation of the sphincter of the bladder, and isoften the effect of a palsy. Sometimes it proceeds from hurts,or injuries occasioned by blows, bruises, preternatural labors,&c. Sometimes it is the effect of a fever. It may likewisebe occasioned by a long use of strong diuretics, or of stimu-lating medicines injected into the bladder.

This disease may be mitigated by the use of astringent and

* The tincture of roses is made by infusing an ounce of the driedleaves of red ro^es, and a drain of the spirit of vitriol, in two Englishpints of boiling water, in a stone-ware vessel, for four hours ; after-wards the tincture must be filtered, and four or five ounces of whitesugar may be added to it.

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