The cure of dysentery, as described by the earlier authors, is confused and contradictory. As an increased evacuation it has been treated by astringents; as a spasm, by opiates; and as an haemorrhage, by sedatives. Zimmerman seems to have first established the most rational views, and the most enlightened practice; yet even this requires, in different climates, considerable modifications, and numerous auxiliaries. Navy and army surgeons assert that practitioners, in general, know little of dysentery. They seldom, indeed, see the complicated cases, the numerous forms of the disease, or its singular changes. We shall give a consistent view of their doctrines and opinions, for it is one of the few diseases where we do not speak- from any very extensive practice of our own. Our predecessors were certainly little acquainted with it.

As an inflammation, bleeding may appear the most proper step in the earliest stages; but the fever is of the putrid kind, and the inflammation erysipelatous. We find some army surgeons bleeding the strong, robust soldiers, on a violent attack in the earliest stages, with apparent advantage. It is not, however, a remedy adapted to the nature of the disease; and, though occasionally admissible, should be rarely employed.

Emetics, particularly the antimonial ones, are of more importance; they are adapted to the disease as febrile, and peculiarly to spasm, since, oh their first action, a general relaxation is produced in the system. This relaxation is more considerable, and longer continued by giving nauseating doses only; and it is probable that the ipecacuanha, the antimonials in their various forms, the white vitriol, etc. act as much by the nausea they produce, as by increasing the discharge from the skin. Vomiting, except in the commencement, cannot be encouraged with advantage.

As the faeces are retained, cathartics would appear peculiarly proper; and when some relaxation of the spasm has been produced, they are found to be the most effectual remedies. Zimmerman rests chiefly on the use of the milder laxatives, neutral salts, the tamarinds, senna, and manna; and it will be indeed obvious that these, as well by their cooling as their relaxing power, must be useful. The narcotic laxatives, which we have described as producing so general a solution of tension through the whole system, may perhaps be found useful, particularly the tobacco; yet the great previous debility renders its use highly precarious, and we know not that it has been employed. Dr. Hagstroom, from the idea of dysentery proceeding from animalcules, employed the nux vomica, he says, with considerable success. This medicine is, indeed, a powerful narcotic, but, we believe, not a laxative.

The more active purgatives have not been lately employed. Respecting the utility of rhubarb, practitioners have greatly differed. By some it has been considered as a specific, by others as injurious. In general, it is too violent in its operation, and is by the best practitioners now disregarded. In the Amaenitates Academics is a thesis, formerly quoted, entitled Exanthemata Viva, where the author asserts, that he has discovered animalcules in the dysentery, to which he attributes 4 F the disease; and he thinks it a great support of his idea, that they were immediately destroyed by an infusion of rhubarb.

Diaphoretics are the most important medicines in this complaint; and to the relaxation of the skin must be attributed the good effects of ipecacuanha; of the vi-trum ceratum antimonii; and, in some measure, of opiates. The more violent stimulant sudorifics have been avoided; and, from our observations on cathartics, it will be obvious that they must be injurious; yet ipecacuanha seems also to possess apeculiarsedative power, which renders it useful in all cases of increased action of the intestines; nor is it without reason that Dr. Akenside seems to have commended it so warmly.

The action of diaphoretics must, however, be supported by warm diluting liquors; by proper, though not heavy, bed clothes; and every method of supporting a gentle, free perspiration, approaching at least to sweating, for the patient should not sweat profusely. The object is rather to produce a general relaxation than to weaken by the discharge.

Sedatives have not been much employed; and when opiates have been given to lull the violence of the pain, practitioners have rather aimed at procuring present ease than at removing the complaint. But, from the view we have taken, it will be obvious that opium is of considerable service. It is singular that the opium with ipecacuanha, Dover's powder, has not been more frequently used. We suspect that its action as a sudorific is too violent; and that the disease, like other fevers, is more effectually removed by a gentle diaphoresis, than a more considerable discharge from the skin.

As the discharge of either mucus or blood is often violent, it is not surprising that astringents have been employed. All the variety have been given, and each has been commended by its partisans. Alum, gall nuts, white vitriol, logwood, simarouba, cascarilla, columbo root, and a variety of similar medicines, have been employed in this disease; but their good effects have, we believe, been owing to an unsuspected source. The gall nut is, indeed, a pure astringent, though not without some suspicion of a narcotic power. Alum is not only a sedative but a purgative, and an useful remedy in many cases of colic. The white vitriol is a tonic and a sedative; the logwood combines, with its astringency, no inconsiderable portion of mucilage. The simarouba, like its botanical associate, unites with its bitter a warm diaphoretic power; the columbo root differs little from common bitters, which alone are not astringent. Of all these supposed astringents, therefore, the casca-rilla only acts as probably such; and for these reasons they have, perhaps, not been so injurious as they would have otherwise been found, for astringents are certainly not adapted to the disease: and, though we find the acacia, or its substitute, the conserve of sloes, and the catechu, sometimes mentioned, they have been long neglected by the best modern practitioners. If even the more powerful tonics are ever employed, the intestines must be previously emptied, and all inflammation removed. This is, perhaps, also the only time for the exhibition of the cascarilla.