Before leaving the subject of dysentery I may mention, that, in India, I have met with some cases of a very violent dysentery which ran its course in three, four, or five days. In this disease the usual practice did not succeed. The best treatment appeared to be, after a dose of castor oil, to give opium liberally by the mouth, and by clyster; and to make the patient drink very freely of gum arabic at the same time. In some of these cases I have likewise given diluted nitric-acid. A constriction of the vessels discharging mucus was in this way effected; the incessant discharge was stopped, and time given for a secretion of mucus to cover the abraded gut. I have thus sometimes succeeded in checking a most violent disease. Thereafter, the mouth could be gradually and gently affected by mercury, or by nitric-acid. On opening the bodies of those who died of the tropical dysentery, in Egypt as in India, we almost constantly found the liver diseased. In old cases, we likewise most commonly found ulceration of the great intestines, and very frequently within the reach of enemata. In the composition of these, a variety of articles were used: most frequently, I think, solutions of sugar of lead, or vitriolated zinc, gave greatest relief; and we sometimes found that gum arabic, milk, and broths, gave relief, when many other things had failed. [9] It was soon afterwards introduced to India, by the exertions of the Medical Board at Bombay; and the world has had a full account of its introduction and success from my friend Dr Keir, who had the charge of the institution for disseminating the vaccine disease, from Bombay through India. [10] Vide Appendix. THE END Marchant, Printer, 3, Greville-Street, Holborn. TABLE I. I have said, that the similarity between a number of the symptoms of the plague, and those of the destructive fever which I saw in the West-Indian islands, in 1795 and 1796, struck me in Egypt. On my return to India, having recourse to my papers and case-books, written while I was in the West Indies, I found a very great resemblance between the two diseases, as I had seen them, in countries so remote. At Bombay, in conversation with General Nicolls, who commanded at Grenada while I was in that island, I mentioned the resemblance of the two diseases, in very many of their features, as being remarkable. At the general’s suggestion, I soon after drew out, in a tabular form, the principal points of resemblance between the plague and the yellow fever. This table appeared curious to the general, and to my ingenious and esteemed friend, Mr Scott, as well as to other friends at Bombay; and, at their desire, I appended it to my Memoir. I here subjoin it in the abstract: it may suggest hints that might be useful to future observers in the West-Indian fever as well as in the plague. _Points of Resemblance between the PLAGUE and the YELLOW FEVER._ THE PLAGUE. THE YELLOW FEVER.