The blood may be many ways attenuated without bleeding. There are likewise many things that may be done to ease the pain of the side without this operation, as fomenting, blistering, &c. Fomentations may be made by boiling a handful of the flowers of elder, camomile, and common mallows, or any other soft vegetables, in a proper quantity of water. The herbs may be either put into a flannel bag, and applied warm to the side, or flannels may be dipped in the decoction, afterwards wrung out, and applied to the part affected, with as much warmth as the patient can easily bear. As the clothes grow cool, they must be changed, and great care taken that the patient do not catch cold. A bladder may be filled with warm milk and water, and applied to the side, if the above method of fomenting be found inconvenient. Fomentations not only ease the pain, but relax the vessels, and prevent the stagnation of the blood and other humours. The side may likewise be frequently rubbed with a little of the volatile liniment[67]. Topical bleeding has often a very good effect in this disease. It may either be performed by applying a number of leeches to the part affected, or by cupping, which is both a more certain and expeditious method than the other. Leaves of various plants might likewise be applied to the patient’s side with advantage. I have often seen great benefit from young cabbage-leaves applied warm to the side in a pleurisy. These not only relax the parts, but likewise draw off a little moisture, and may prevent the necessity of blistering-plasters; which however, when other things fail, must be applied. If the stitch continues after repeated bleedings, fomentations, &c. a blistering-plaster must be applied over the part affected, and suffered to remain for two days. This not only procures a discharge from the side, but takes off the spasm, and by that means assists in removing the cause of the disease. To prevent a strangury when the blistering-plaster is on, the patient may drink freely of the Arabic emulsion[68]. If the patient is costive, a clyster of thin water-gruel, or of barley-water, in which a handful of mallows, or any other emollient vegetable has been boiled, may be daily administered. This will not only empty the bowels, but have the effect of a warm fomentation applied to the inferior viscera, which will help to make a derivation from the breast. The expectoration of spitting may be promoted by sharp, oily, and mucilaginous medicines. For this purpose an ounce of the oxymel, or the vinegar of squills, may be added to six ounces of the pectoral decoction, and two table-spoonfuls of it taken every two hours.