GO

Enough proof, also, 'will be found in the cases narrated of thc power of napbtlia to occasion tlie same relief when employed alonc. In tlie case of Bonnar, (thc fatlier of the Bonnar wliose case was narrated amongst the first seven cases), the drops were givcn alone, witli five grains of extract of liyosciamus, at niglit ; in;^^Parnicott alone, and slie statcd that slic always felt mucb relieved after taldng them, and that they occasioned warnith of stomach, expulsion of flatus, freedom of hrcathing, and relief from cough ; and in Wright simply dissolvcd in water.

In the cases of Bonnar and Cheston, the injurions effects of thc non-medicinal naphtha is again shown, It produced a return of thc unfavourable chest sj-mptoms in Bonnar, and of the severe hectic. In Cheston the non-medicinal was given him on two occasions ; on the first trial ail his symptoms were immediately aggravated hy the change, and relieved by a return to the médicinal ; on the second occasion hc was also very ill from the change. He stated that they invariably disagreed with him, and caused sickness, violent headache, and faintness — although somc of these symptoms may hâve depended on an increase of cérébral disease. Ilis chest symptoms were much relieved by a return to the proper vemedy, but his cérébral symptoms continued.

The case of Stainsby is introduced merely as a proof that I am désirons of giving an account of every case of w’hich I hâve takeu notes, and not only of stating every fact correctly, but also of keeping back nothing.

Case 23 (Susanna Jones) is an example of severe laryngeal complication w'ith phthisis. Naphtha, although it relieved the chest symptoms, exerted no bénéficiai influence on the laryngeal disease. Supposing such a case to occur, in which auscultation proved that the phthisical state of the lung might be cured, and was already benefitted by the treatment, would it not be allowable for the surgeon to perform the operatiou of tracheotomy, in aid of the curative influence of médicinal measures ?

In speaking of surgical operations in aid of the physician’s attempts to direct the efforts of nature into a proper and healthy channel, I may remark that the operation recently proposed, of making a free external communication through the wall of the chest, with a phthisical cavity of large size, replete with morbid

secrétions, is (if it conld be effected safely) likely to render tlie case more curable, provided tbe extent of disease présent, and tbe pre-disposition of tbe patient allow tbe smallest sbadow of bope to remain.