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SPITTING OF BLOOD.

Spitting of blood, in a strong healthy person, of a soundconstitution, is not very dangerous ; but when it attacks thetender and delicate, or persons of a weak lax fibre, it is withdifficulty removed. When it proceeds from a scirrhus orpolypus of the lungs, it is bad. The danger is greater whenthe discharge proceeds from the rupture of a large vesselthan of a small one. When the extravasated blood is notspit up, but lodges in the breast, it corrupts, and greatly in-creases the danger. When the blood proceeds from an ulcerin the lungs, it is generally fatal.

Regimen. — The patient ought to be kept cool and easy.Every thing that heats the body or quickens the circulationincreases the danger. The mind ought likewise to be soothed,and every occasion of exciting the passions avoided. Thediet should be soft, cooling, and slender, as rice boiled withmilk, small broths, barley gruels, panado, &c. The diet, inthis case, can scarce be too low. Even water gruel is suffi-cient to support the patient for some days. All strong liquorsmust be avoided. The patient may drink milk and water,barley water, whey, buttermilk, and such like. Every thinghowever should be drank cold, and in small quantities at atime. He should observe the strictest silence, or at leastspeak with a very low voice.

Medicine. — This, like the other involuntary discharges ofblood, ought not to be suddenly stopped by astringent medi-cines. More mischief is often done by these than if it weresuffered to go on. It may however proceed so far as toweaken the patient, and even to endanger his life, in whichcase proper means must be used for restraining it.

The belly should be kept gently open by laxative diet, asroasted apples, stewed prunes, &c. If these should not havethe ^effect, a tea-spoonful of the lenitive electuary may be takentwice or thrice a day, as is found necessary. If the bleedingproves violent, ligatures may be applied to the extremities, asdirected for bleeding at the nose. .

If the patient be hot or feverish, bleeding and small dosesof nitre will be of use ; a scruple or half a dram of nitre may-be taken in a cup of his ordinary drink twice or thrice a day.His drink may likewise be sharpened with acids, as juice oflemon, or a few drops of the spirit of vitriol ; or he may takefrequently a cup of the tincture of roses.

Bathing the feet and legs in lukewarm water has likewisea very good effect in this disease. Opiates too are sometimes