Star.
London, England, 1812-01-21 00:00:00

ON THE USE OF DIGITALIS.

TO SIR HENRY HALI ORD, BART, Nt.P.

Sl«—Your elevated station in Medicine •
me%
your opinions With con esponding importance.
In one of your letters, relative to the Medical trent,
ment of Mr. Fox, your words are—" I do not beim
the Digitalis was ever prescribed at 211. I remember
stating in consultation, when the propriety 4444.
flustering that remedy was discussed, that I had neer
seen it do good in the dropsy of the belly, though
have often found it give temporary relief in cases
water in the chest, and I am pretty sute, that Dm
MOSELFS and Pircains both stated this to be them
suit of their experience also, and that in consequence,
it was never prescribed."
If this is correct, it is a valuable discovery ; bog
incorrect, and digitalis is really useful in every s •
of dropsy, the error ought to be perceived, beim*
obtain the sanction of time and prejudice, pas the •
supporters of error ; it ought to be perceived, befoet
those affected with dropsy be deterred from using t
substance, which might be the only thing that omit
save them ; and before many of our profession,*
must often rely on authority, lose their confide*, •
•
this remedy.
Meiical prescriptions deeply interest the coins*:
nity ; and to remove any serious.mistakes concetaint
them, is an imperious duty, in the discharge i tylie;
one must despise that net rowness of mind which ow
not bear contradiction ; magnanimity prefers de
truth to every private consideration
To return to the direct question, what teases
there to suppose, that a substance received ;lan the
stomach, will remove water from the chest, and nit
from any other cavity or part of the body ? V,io
answer, pethaps, that reasoning here is preporasoes,
the facts mast precede the conclusaito ; nu die
point we would agree, but what can be alledged,
the facts not only do not support, but are must de,
cisively repugnant to your opinion?
To all the practical writers, who have attendedm
the medicinal propersies of this plant, I appeal fib
proof, that the preparations of the Di:critalit, or hi,
glave, remove water from every part of the body;_.
there are thousands who laboured, one under tat
species of dropsy, another under another, who ors
their lives, in a great degree, to this medicine ; this is
not assertion opposed to assertion, I could rodent
ample evidence, even from my own practice, chit
has cured dropsical effusions from the crown of tla
head to the sole of the foot.
Let us now consider in what dropsical case •
may expect it, to give, n t temporaty relief, but pet.
manent recovery ; and in what, it will be preecobel
without ultimate success.
If there is any watery effusion, from simple debi-
lity, or exhaustion, while the structure of parts*
mains uninjured, then the Digitalis will have the bee
eff:cts ; if on the contrary, the collection of wawa
the result of certain mot bid changes in the ore-nip.
tion of any part essential to life, then the D.,,aisis,
like every other article of the Mated* Mediae, vl
fail, whether the water be in the chest. in the Ada
men, or in the cellular membrane under the skin,
even in these desperate instances, it will relieve, al
for a length of time proportioned to the local injury,
and the strenzth of the ratient, it will retard thew*
cumulation of fluid, and the consequent mortality.
Every one has remarked speedy alleviation free
its uso, in water of the chest ; this is to be autibrd
to the n.tture and function of the lungs; the rc •
of a small degree of oppression from them, invigara
the whole system : Lthought, indeed, that •
did not exist a Physician, who had not also n •
its great efficacy in asci.es or water in the belly.
Cases might be readily produced(in attic!' 6igi
his had assisted in curing dropsy of the belly from •
sease of one of the organs there contained, but*
the lungs in a similar condition, it would give ttl •
nothing more.
If, f r example, water be collected in ecasetr
of obstruction m the liver, the alternate t se doer
curt' and D.;,;italir will temove both the obstru •
and the water, nhich could not be well accompli,! •
by either unotpported by the other ; but where liy•
chnthorax, or water in the chest, is the con
of obstructed lungs, in vain should we cape=
turn o' health horn the assistance of digitalis.
Respecong the genzr il administration of this as
dicine, I may here say that danger is certainly tell!
apprehen.fed front its being used either long, et,
gte:it dozes, but that, within prudent limits, asill
the proper cases, it. powers are most salutary; 611
universal experience has confirmed its indispetusil
u i!ity in all dropsies, as well as its superinnlrl
those not connected with other disorders; with*
to' the digitalis in seat cases. there are only
things pt rnicit,us, viz : either to give too much. eti
give none of it-. In short I maintain, that in
severe dropsy, not to give the digitalis, is with
ing one of the most probable means of peen'.srl
Before we part, be assured, that I did not that!,
addre.:sing yeti. till I observed that your dogma
made an extensive impression, and you will e•
proptiety of confuting it, in a manner equally 14
spietions with th et, in which; it was announced;.!!
are medically 9oncerned, that an evil must be.
come by folk .ving i,s progress, and obvtateti
b inciul effects. 1 have the honour to be yowl
dint:ly, JAMES SANDERS, M. D.
idi burgh, 2O JarneuAquare, tern. a, 1019 J

111:t111S.

Thnrsday. at Whitellal,th; Wifc of Joseph PlOlLinae•
of a tlauxh.t r.
ut Waft the licn hlcs. hforria, Lady of Edwaol )14.
Ft. 4. M. 13'. of a snr, who survivrtlbis birth only a trw "Now
Toi• morring, the Lai y of F. 1). Ruts, E.g. of NI
str..-et, It Jsb.li•mitiare, of a li:welt:cr.

_
MARRIED.
On the I 7:h Inst. Captain W. Major, of hi. N4-`'‘
wed has Iteginunt, to Mr'. Mary Ainnar, „

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On .hv I lath Jam sr!, between :rine anti ten in 10"1111
11:.r.nr.., the relict of the I..te v. 'I h. opht.n. L n-sel•
Gs! ,/rr I l'h in.'. at his seat, Alt ford 11111, Suffolk, :if IP"
ker, Dart.
Uat.t to loth tostrit, at Wolverhampton, -IA Sil 13P/14,
wire of P.tr. o.nas sirup, 01, Boo's., I el. attar I tNeal...-
Ml 4, which she bOrc With true cliriatlan patience eta 'Pik'
r:i Lin I
h;...1,f, lily, on ;he Lilt in•t whilst sit 1-g In a etw'r ^
Imusr, at Upt•c- C..1.m, Luna rtes-sh it, N.r. latsus fuel
aged M ar 11)0 Tears.
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HIM! :t 'Mt AP LONDuN BAIDoE fo 14J0
114,1rning I mingtet
Afternoon... M mimeo

LONDON g Primed by Liver. Kern, Plsbaq
pbbchagrtbirt, and Mthe Jkag4/1118% Tol4ll