Bright's Disease.

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Editor Ellingwood's Therapeutist:

I may be rather late in contributing a fact to your beautiful journal; but will endeavor to make up time before I get through.

In Bright's disease, and in other forms of kidney failure, I have for many years used resorcin in two-grain doses in solution in two ounces of water, half an hour before meals, and at bedtime. After meals I use small doses of hydrastis, and scutellaria—say two drops of sp. hydrastis to four drops scutellaria in four ounces of water, two teaspoonfuls at a dose. Between meals and during the evening I give 20 drops of sp. chimaphila, with ten drops of sp. aconite to four ounces of water, two teaspoonfuls once an hour.

In quite a number of cases where the microscope gave dangerous changes in the kidneys and the average amount of urine was from two to four ounces in twenty-four hours for eight to ten days, there were no signs of uremia, and the patient made uninterrupted recoveries. I find all cathartic agents very dangerous in these conditions. I have patients avoid all sweet and sour foods at such times; using beef tea, or hot milk for diet until kidney secretions are fully established.

In my experience and observation, Dr. Webster is about right in regard to drinking water, at least after meals. I have invariably found, that in dyspeptic conditions fluids at meal time, or for four hours thereafter, are always bad. I have had cases from three to twenty-one years' standing, that no treatment had ever benefited. They were allowed to drink what water they wished a half hour before meals, but no water or other drink at meals. They were promptly cured with small doses of aconite and pulsatilla in a swallow of water a little before meal time, and a few drops of hydrastis and skullcap immediately after, with ten grains of chlorate of potash dissolved in the mouth and swallowed.

Fraternally yours,
DR. H. P. WHITFORD.

Ellingwood's Therapeutist, Vol. 2, 1908, was edited by Finley Ellingwood M.D.