(seq. 587)

580

Materia Medica

Diuretics

advantage in Dropsies in combination with camphor, in one case
of a black Woman it reduced the swelling in one night.
Cantharides have been employ’d in Fluor Albus and in gleets; Dr
Monroe gave a Tincture of them verry advantageously, they have
been used for Cutaneous affections. Dr Brown gave them in Hydraphobia
and thought he cured that disease by exciting a new one, Viz, Stranguary,
others have used them besides Brown, the administration of the Tinct
of canth, in Typhus was approved of by Dr Home. I have given from
6, 10, or 15 gtt. [drops] 2 or 3 times a day, it increased the force and fulness of
the pulse. I have upon the whole found it of service, sometimes in large doses.

Neutral Salts. All the Neutral Salts are Diuretics
but the principal of them are Nitre, Crem. Tart. & the Sal Diureticus.
Dr Home has spoken of the powers of Crem Tart in Dropsy, he
and myself have given Ʒij [2 drams] four or five times a day in water, to
advantage, I think it well adapted to the febrile state of Dropsy where
bleeding is proper. Home sometimes gave large quantities in water.

Cold. You all know that cold is a duretic and that standing
in cold will operate in this way. I am acquainted with a gentleman
that cannot put his hand into cold water without a strong
inclination to pass his urine.