ening to go on to effusion, or something of a serious nature. F, always fond of "good living," has a dull pain in the back, with a more sluggish action of the kidneys than usual; the pain is thought to be "common lumbago," and of no consequence; therefore, medical advice is deferred. Time rolls on, and loss of appetite, discomfort at the pit of the stomach, want of power, a sense of general oppression, embarrassment in the respiration on exertion or mounting stairs, become superadded. Advice is now obtained, but there is found to be disease of the kidneys and heart, with water in the chest. G, the subject of plethora, obesity, and gout, continues excesses in diet, which brought him into that state. This, together with inattention to excretion and "colds," makes him, as must always be expected, an early and veritable object of disease and dropsy. Colds, unless urgent from the onset, are neglected under the idea that "it is only a cold, and will soon go off." Many do subside without more than ordinary care; but very many do not, without leaving some flaw. Colds, besides muscular or rheumatic pains, and an inflammatory or congestive state of the air passages, are very commonly attended with congestion and error of secretion of some of the organs of the abdomen, and, if not attended to, often go on to fever of a grave character, or inflammation. In fact, all in influenza colds are fevers of a more or less intermittent, remittent, or continued type. Colds if not totally neglected, are too long trifled with by ipecacuan, squill, and, and opium or other lozenges, instead of being promptly met by diffusible stimulants, diaphoretics, salines, aperients, counter-irritants, baths, and a mild unirritating diet, followed by tonics and correctives, as the case may be. Mercury in some form, as calomel, blue pill, and grey powder, is extensively taken without advice. The assigned reasons are, "to make the liver act, ," "to get rid of the bile; "I have a pain in my right side, in my liver, in my right shoulder." Frequently, when the pain or discomfort is muscular, or from irritation in the colon or stomach, it is thought to be liver. And there is a very general idea that a defective action of the liver requires mercury; but it is not so. In some cases the liver readily responds to taraxacum, sarsaparilla, potass, and conium, but is rendered more torpid by mercury. As a rule, it ought first to be ascertained if it is a liver case to be driven by a mercurial spur, or aided by food and tonics, or other correctives; and, if the inactivity of the liver has been of long standing, and connected with en largement of that organ. The liver may not act well from many things which cause a want or interruption of nervous energy; as, debility, anxiety, grief, fear, anger, malaria, cold, damp, inactivity, want of sleep, pain or irritation in another part of the body. In such cases the depressing effect of mercury will make matters worse. Bad food, want of cleanliness, excesses in diet are other causes. In all and each case, first attempt to remove the cause. Mercurial preparations are valuable agents in the hands of educated medical men; but when injudiciously taken, they depress the nervous energy, however low before; and induce a variety of nervous feelings, salivation, fœtor of breath, absorption of the gums and sockets of the teeth, disease of the bone, eruptions, and a kind of erysipelas of the mouth, throat, and stomach. Moreover, they render the skin, air passages, and whole frame, more susceptible of injury from cold; and frequently occasion the necessity of a respirator. Pills obtained as antibilous too often contain mercury. |