derable quantil) of an excellent utial oil. The flower-cup ude .1 very pure and fragrant resin, which, it' taken internally, is, ac- produ&ive of diun tic effe&s. A i i > . I • lie a considerable proportion of inflammable air, they ought nor, in any large quantities, to be kept in dw elling rooms. DIURETICS, a term applied to those medicines which increase the
- tion of urine in the kidnej s.
Their opt ration consists in promot- ing the circulation of the blood to- wards the renal arteries, rendering that vital fluid more serous, and at the same time stimulating the se- cretory organs. The use of diuretics, in general, is indicated by the following cir- cumstances : 1. An interrupted or diminished discharge of urine: but, as this complaint may arise from a great diversity of causes, such as spasms, acrimony of the fluids, re- laxation of the solids, plethora, &c. great circumspection i-> necessary in the choice of medicines properly adapted to the nature of the case. 2. A natural tendency of the con- stitution to evacuate the morbid matter of a particular disease, by this passage : the symptoms of which are, a frequent inclination to make water; a dark, turbid, and us urine. 3. An earthy, alka- line, scorbutic quality of the fli 4. An abundance of aqueous hu- mours in the body, in general ; or an extravasation of them, in parti- cular parts. 5. Alocalaccumulatioii of impurities in the urinary pas- sages. On the contrary, diuretics should never be resorted to in the follow- ing cases: 1. In diabetes, or an immoderate and long-continued evacuation of urine. 2. V i)IU |,, 7 fluid is mingle I with blood inflamm ii ' bladder. A ' is reason to apprehend stones are confln 1, or other orga- nic- defe&s prevail, in the urinary canal. 5. h those profu perspiration, termed critical. U. When the patient's body is already deficient in aqu sous humours. In the same proportion as we make use of thin, diluent liquor-;, the quantity of urine may be i : increased or diminished : frequent drinking of such watery bev> is, therefore, one of the mi diuretic remedies. This effect may be considerably promoted by the addition of such substances as spe- cifically a6t upon the kidneys. To this class belong all the mineral waters containing saline ingredients, as well as the juices of mild sum- mer fruit mixed with water, and cularly the sap extracted from tii" birch-tree. Those, who are under the influ- ence of diuretic medicines, ought to observe a cool rather than a warm regimen ; because heat promotes perspiration, and lessens the secre- tion of urine. During the use of such remedies, considerable benefit be obtained by conjoining them with those articles of vegetable nu- triment, which naturally operate ou the kidneys. Of this kind are the tops of asparagus and hops, the sweet cicely, lettuce, parsley, ce- lery, all the subacid fruit, such as cherries, currants, raspberries, strawberries, grapes, mulberries, apricots, peaches, &e. — Beside these, we possess various and more powerful diuretics among plants, for instance, the horse-radish, onions, and garlick, neither of which, however, ought to be in- discriminately taken. One of the L '2 most
