An Account of the Foxglove and some of its Medical Uses by William Withering (best book series to read .TXT) 📕

the plant being confirmed by the enquiry. Long cases are tedious, and seldom read, and as seldom is it necessary to describe every symptom; for every case would be a history of dropsy. I shall therefore content myself with specifying the nature of the disease, and when the dropsy is attended with any other affection shall notice it.

Two years have scarcely elapsed since I first employed the Digitalis; and the success I have had has induced me to use it largely and frequently.

CASE I.

Ann Willott, 50 years of age, became a patient of the Dispensary on the 11th of April 1783. She then complained of an enlargement of the abdomen, difficulty of breathing, particularly when lying, and costiveness. She passed small quantities of high-coloured urine; and had an evident fluctuation in the belly. Her legs were œdematous. Chrystals of tartar, squills, &c. had no effect. The 13th of June she took two spoonfuls of a decoction of Foxglove, containing three drams of the dry leaves, in eight ounces, three times a day. Her urine soon increased, and in a few days she passed it freely, which continued, and her breath returned.

CASE II.

Mr. ——, 45 years of age, had been long subject to dropsical swellings of the legs, and made little water. Two spoonfuls of the same decoction twice a day, soon relieved him.

CASE III.

Mrs. ——, aged 70 years. A lady frequently afflicted with the gout, and an asthmatical cough. After a long continuance of the latter, she had a great diminution of urine, and considerable difficulty of breathing, particularly on motion, or when lying. Her body was much bound. There was, however, no apparent swelling. She took three spoonfuls of an aperient decoction of forty-five grains in six ounces and a half, every other morning. The urine was plentiful those days, and her breathing much relieved. In two or three weeks after the use of it she was perfectly restored. The purgative medicine neither increased the urine, nor relieved the breathing, till the Foxglove was added.

This spring she long laboured with the gout in her stomach, which terminated in a fit in her hand. During the whole of this tedious illness, of nearly three months, she passed little urine, and her breathing was again short.

She took the same preparation of Foxglove without any diuretic effect, and afterwards two and three grains of the powder twice a day with as little. The dulcified spirits of vitriol, however, quickly promoted the urinary secretion.

CASE IV.

Mr. C——, 46 years of age, had dropsical swellings of the legs, and passed little urine. He took the decoction with three drams, and was soon relieved.

CASE V.

Lady——, took three grains of the dried leaves twice a day, for swelled legs, and scantiness of urine, without effect.

CASE VI.

Mrs. Slater, aged 36 years. For dropsy of the belly and legs, and scantiness of urine, of several weeks standing, took three grains of the powder twice a day, and was quite restored in ten days. She took many medicines without effect.

CASE VII.

Mrs. P——, in her 70th year, took three grains of the powder twice a day, for scantiness of urine, and swelled legs, without effect.

CASE VIII.

Ann Winterleg, in her 26th year, had dropsical swellings of the legs, and passed little urine: she was relieved by two drams, in an eight ounce decoction.

CASE IX.

William Brown, aged 76. In the last stage of dropsy of the belly and legs, found a considerable increase of his urine by a decoction of Foxglove, but it was not permanent.

CASE X.

Mr. ——, — years of age, and of very gross habit of body, became highly dropsical, and took various medicines, without effect. One ounce of the decoction, with three drams of the dry leaves in eight ounces, twice or three times a day, increased his urine prodigiously. He was evidently better, but a little attendant nausea overcame his resolution, and in the course of some weeks afterwards he fell a victim to his obstinacy.

CASE XI.

Mrs. Smith, about 50 years of age, after a tedious illness of many weeks, had a jaundice, and became dropsical in the legs. Two spoonfuls of the decoction, with three drams twice a day, increased her urine, and abated the swelling.

CASE XII.

Widow Chatterton, about 60 years of age. Took the decoction in the same way for dropsy of the legs, with little effect.

CASE XIII.

—— Genders, about thirty-four years of age, was delivered of three children, and became dropsical of the abdomen. She passed little or no urine, had constant thirst, and no appetite. She took two spoonfuls of an eight ounce decoction, with three drams twice a day. By the time she had finished the bottle, (which must have been on the fourth day,) she had evacuated all her water, and could go about. Her appetite increased with every dose, and she recovered without farther help.

CASE XIV.

Miss M—— M——, in her 20th year. Had been infirm from her cradle, and, after various sufferings, had an astonishing œdematous swelling of one leg and thigh, of many weeks standing. She passed little or no urine, and had all her other complaints. She took 2 spoonfuls of an eight oz. decoction of two drams, twice a day. Her urine immediately increased; and, on the third day, the swelling had entirely subsided.

CASE XV.

Mr. P——, 65 years of age, and of a full habit of body. Had lived freely in his youth, and for many years led rather an inactive life. His health was much impaired several months, and he had a considerable distention, and evident fluctuation in the abdomen, and a very great œdema of the legs and thighs. His breathing was very short, and rather laborious, appetite bad, and thirst considerable. His belly was bound, and he passed very small quantities of high-coloured urine, that deposited a reddish matter. He had taken medicines some time, and, I believe, the Digitalis; and had been better.

A blister was applied to the upper and inside of each thigh; he took two spoonfuls of the decoction, with three drams of the dry leaves, two or three times a day; and some opening physic occasionally.

He lived at a considerable distance, and I did not visit him a second time; but I was well informed, about ten days or a fortnight afterwards, that his urine increased amazingly upon taking the decoction, and that the water was entirely evacuated.

CASE XVI.

Mrs. G——, aged 50 years. After being long ailing, had a large collection of water in the abdomen and lower extremities. Her urine was high-coloured, in small quantities, and had a reddish sediment. She took the decoction of Digitalis, squills, &c. without any effect. The chrystals of tartar, however, cured her speedily.

CASE XVII.

Mr. ——, about 50 years of age, complained of great tension and pain across the abdomen, and of loss of appetite; his urine, he thought, was less than usual, but the difference was so trifling he could speak with no certainty: his belly seemed to fluctuate. Among other things he tried the Foxglove leaves dried, twice a day; and, although it appeared to afford him relief, yet the effect was not permanent.

CASE XVIII.

Mr. W——, aged between 60 and 70 years; and rather corpulent: was considerably dropsical, both of the belly and legs, and his urine in small quantities. Three grains of the dry leaves, twice a day, evacuated the water in less than a fortnight.

CASE XIX.

Sarah Taylor, 40 years of age, was admitted into the Dispensary for dropsy of the abdomen and legs; and was relieved by the Decoctum digitalianum.

CASE XX.

Lydia Smith, aged 60. Dispensary. Laboured many years under an asthma, and became dropsical. She took the decoction without effect.

CASE XXI.

John Leadbeater, aged 15 years. Had a quotidian intermittent, which was removed by the humane assistance of an amiable young lady. His intermittent was soon attended by a very considerable ascites; for which he became a patient of the Dispensary. He took a decoction of Foxglove night and morning. His urine increased immediately, and he lost all his complaints in four days.

CASE XXII.

William Millar, aged 50 years. Admitted into the Dispensary for a tertian ague, and general dropsy. The dropsy continuing after the ague was removed, and his urine being still passed in small quantities; he took the powdered leaves, and recovered his health in five days.

CASE XXIII.

Ann Wakelin, 10 years of age. Had for several weeks a dropsy of the belly after an ague. She took a decoction of Foxglove, which removed all complaint by the fourth day.

CASE XXIV.

Ann Meachime; a Dispensary patient. Had an ascites and scantiness of urine. She took the powder of Foxglove, and evacuated all her water in three days.

It may not be improper to observe, 1st. That various diuretics had long been given in many of these cases before I was consulted. And, 2dly. That the exhibition of the Foxglove was but seldom attended with sickness.

REMARKS.

These Cases, thus liberally communicated by my friend, Dr. Jones, are more acceptable, as they seem to contain a faithful abstract from his notes, both of the unsuccessful as well as the successful Cases.

The following Tabular View of them will give us some Idea of the efficacy of the Medicine.

Anasarca 7 Cases Cured 3     Relieved 1     Failed 3 Ascites 5 Cases Cured 4     Relieved 1 Œdematous leg 1 Case Cured 1 Ascites and anasarca 7 Cases Cured 4     Relieved 2     Failed 1 Asthma and dropsy 1 Case Failed 1 Hydrothorax and gout 1 Case Cured 1   -  -  -  -  -, ascites and anasarca 2 Cases Cured 2 A CASE of Anasarca communicated by Mr.
Jones, Surgeon, in Birmingham.