The difficulty of breathing was twice considerably relieved by small doses of ipecacuanha, which operated upwards and downwards, but recurred in a few days:  she was then directed a decoction of foxglove, (digitalis purpurea) prepared by boiling four ounces of the fresh leaves from two pints of water to one pint; to which was added two ounces of vinous spirit:  she took three large spoonfuls of this mixture every two hours, till she had taken it four times; a continued sickness supervened, with frequent vomiting, and a copious flow of urine:  these evacuations continued at intervals for two or three days, and relieved the difficulty of breathing—­She had some relapses afterwards, which were again relieved by the repetition of the decoction of foxglove.

2.  A gentleman, about sixty years of age, who had been addicted to an immoderate use of fermented liquors, and had been very corpulent, gradually lost his strength and flesh, had great difficulty of breathing, with legs somewhat swelled, and a very irregular pulse.  He was very much distressed at first lying down, and at first rising from his bed, yet in a minute or two was easy in both those attitudes.  He made straw-coloured urine in due quantity, and had no pain or numbness of his arms.

He took a large spoonful of the decoction of foxglove, as above, every hour, for ten or twelve successive hours, had incessant sickness for about two days, and passed a large quantity of urine; upon which his breath became quite easy, and the swelling of his legs subsided; but as his whole constitution was already sinking from the previous intemperance of his life, he did not survive more than three or four months.

Hydrops Pericardii.

3.  A gentleman of temperate life and sedulous application to business, between thirty and forty years of age, had long been subject, at intervals, to an irregular pulse:  a few months ago he became weak, with difficulty of breathing, and dry cough.  In this situation a physician of eminence directed him to abstain from all animal food and fermented liquor, during which regimen all his complaints increased; he now became emaciated, and totally lost his appetite; his pulse very irregular both in velocity and strength; with great difficulty of breathing, and some swelling of his legs; yet he could lie down horizontally in his bed, though he got little sleep, and passed a due quantity of urine, and of the natural colour:  no fullness or hardness could be perceived about the region of the liver; and he had no pain or numbness in his arms.

One night he had a most profuse sweat all over his body and limbs, which quite deluged his bed, and for a day or two somewhat relieved his difficulty of breathing, and his pulse became less irregular:  this copious sweat recurred three or four times at the intervals of five or six days, and repeatedly alleviated his symptoms.

He was directed one large spoonful of the above decoction of foxglove every hour, till it procured some considerable evacuation:  after he had taken it eleven successive hours he had a few liquid stools, attended with a great flow of urine, which last had a dark tinge, as if mixed with a few drops of blood:  he continued sick at intervals for two days, but his breath became quite easy, and his pulse quite regular, the swelling of his legs disappeared, and his appetite and sleep returned.