Diseases > Domestic medicine

332 buchan’s
with butter. If these do not produce a discharge,
and the piles appear large, leeches must be applied
as near them as possible, or, if they will fix upon the
piles themselves, so much the better. When leeches
will not fix, the piles may be opened with a lancet.
The operation is very easy, and is attended with no
Various ointments, and other external applications,
are recommended in the piles ; but I do not remember
to have seen any effects from these worth mentioning.
Their principal use is to keep the part moist, which
.may be done as well by a soft poultice, or an emollient
cataplasm. When the pain however is very great, a
liniment made of two ounces of emollient ointment,
and half an ounce of liquid laudanum, beat up with
the yolk of an egg, may be applied.
spitting OF blood. (Haemoptysis).
We mean here to treat of that discharge of blood
from the lungs only which is called an hcemoptoe or
spitting of blood. Persons of a slender make, and a
lax fibre, who have long necks and strait breasts, are
most liable to this disease. It is most common in the
spring, and generally attacks people before they arrive
at the prime or middle period of life. It is a com¬
mon observation, that those who have been subject to
bleeding at the nose when young are afterwards most
liable to an hmmoptoe.
Cau es.—An haunoptoe may proceed from excess
of blood, from a peculiar weakness of the lungs, or a
bad conformation of the breast. It is often occa¬
sioned by excessive drinking, running, wrestling,
singing, or speaking aloud. Such as have weak
lungs ought to avoid all violent exertions of that organ
as they value life. They should likewise guard
•gainst violent passions, excessive drinking and