ferings were too great for description, and who from thence died a lingering and miferable death.

The figns of a cancerous womb are very uncertain, and obfcure, being often confounded with those of conception, dropfy, or other affections of that organ; therefore, information fhould be taken from the touch as well as the symptoms.

In fpeaking of the menfes, the extraordi-nary fympathy between the breasts and womb has been mentioned; and it is here neceffary to remark, that in all cafes, where a fcirrhous or cancerous difpofition is fufpected, it will be neceffary to examine whether the breasts are in a found state; for, pain or enlargement of thefe parts afford a prefumption that the womb may also be affected; particularly in bad habits of body,, after the age of forty-five, where a sense of weight and darting pain is perceived in the womb. This grievous malady is alfo to be feared where women continue to menftruate Cobble irregularly,

1

irregularly, and with pain, to a greater age than ordinary; for, fuch an unfeasonable discharge is not properly menfes, but generally arifes from ulceration of the womb, or bleeding, fpungy tumors tending to become cancerous.

cancerous.

When the patient will not fubmit to extirpation of the diseased part, it then becomes neceffary to attempt the cure by difperfion, that is, by diffolving the obstructed matter in the gland, before it becomes Various medicines have been propofed for this purpose; the most pow. erful of which are mercury, antimony, and hemlock; but it must be confeffed they are often ineffectual, and, what is ftill worse, inftead of difperfing the tumor, they fometimes exafperate and change it into a confirmed cancer, by exciting fever, and inflammation; especially mercury, which should therefore never be employed without proper advice. In cancers from a venereal caufe, I have known mercury

produce

produce good effects, but, in general, ripe fruits, the juices of the lactefcent plants, as dandelion, fuccory, &c. or foap diffolved in thin chocolate, are, by far, the safest deobftruents, especially, where the part is affected with pain and inflammation.

As the means propofed for a cure, do fometimes defeat their own purpose, by making bad, much worfe; it appears eligible to use fuch methods and medicines only as are extremely mild and gentle.

Little benefit can be expected from medicine, without proper regulation in the patient's diet. She ought to eat fparingly of animal food, and live chiefly on milk and vegetables; fresh eggs, fhell fish, and a fmall quantity of any of the white meats, fuch as chicken, veal, or rabbit, without falt or feasoning, may be allowed every other day. Her common drink fhould be toast and water, with a small quantity of French brandy, if the first is too cold for her ftomach; but if he is naturally coftive

and

and feverish, nothing will be fo proper as imperial water fweetened with manna. She ought then totally to abftain from folid, animal food, and take broths medicated with forrel, lettice, and fuch like herbs, with the addition of nitre inftead of common falt, which will be equally palatable, and is of all others the most agreeable form of taking that cooling medicine.

Half a pint of fresh, new milk whey, in which one dram of the cryftals of tartar has been diffolved, may be given night and morning. The aperient apozem, No. 21, may also be taken occafionally in the fame quantity, which will tend to thin the blood, and open the obstructed glands.

When the tumor is external, it may be frequently bathed with juice fqueezed from the pods of a marine plant called fea wreck, which is in greatest perfection in July, and may then be found in plenty on the different shores. One dram of falt of tartar diffolved in a pint of pure water, and applied milk warm to the

affected

1

affected part, with a foft fpunge, twice or thrice a-day, is alfo a powerful remedy, which I have known to produce good effects; if it inflames the fkin, a little milk may be added at the time of use. Should the malady be feated in the womb; the injection, No. 22, may be thrown up, with a womb fyringe, three or four times a-day.

...

If the patient is in much pain, attended with fever, the fhould lofe a few ounces of blood, and, after the body is rendered laxative by the medicated whey, with cream of tartar, the may take the faline mixture, No. 23; but if the pain should still remain exceffive, the anodyne clyfter, No. 24, may be administered in the evening, as occasion requires.

Afs's milk, goats whey, and Bristol water may all be used by turns, and should be continued for feveral months; otherwife no good effect can reasonably be expected.