Class I. 2. 3. i*. OF IRRITATION. £ 



and it thus removes one principal caufe of corpulency, which is 

 the loofenefs of the fkin. Secondly, he mould omit one entire 

 meal, as fupper ; by this long abitinence from food the abforb- 

 ent fyftem will act on the mucus and fat with greater energy. 

 Thirdly, he mould drink as little as he can with eafe to his fen- 

 fations -, fince, if the abforbents of the ftomach and bowels fup- 

 ply the blood with much, or perhaps too much, aqueous fluid, 

 the abforbents of the cellular membrane will act with lefs ener- 

 gy. Fourthly, he mould ufe much fall or fa' ted meat, which 

 ' will intreafe the perfpiration and make him thirfty ; and if he 

 bears this third, the abforption of his fat will be greatly increaf- 

 ed, as appears in fevers and dropfies with thirft •, this I believe to 

 be more efficacious than foap. Fifthly, he may ufe aerated al- 

 kaline water for his drink, which may be fuppofed to render the 

 fat more fluid, — or he may take fbap in large quantities, which 

 will be decompofed in the ftomach. Sixthly, fhort reft, and 

 conftant exercife. 



Vinegar has been faid to reduce corpulency, but as it con- 

 tains much vinous fpirit, it may injure the general health with- 

 out previoufly inducing leannefs. Perhaps cryftals of tartar 

 might fucceed better ufed daily in water at meals. 



The moft efficacious method of reducing the quantity of the 

 fat T fufpecl may be by the ufe of the tincture of digitalis ir> 

 fmall quantity, as twenty or thirty drops twice a day, as direct- 

 ed in Article IV. 2. 3. 7. As the effect of this medicine, when 

 given in greater quantity, as in forty drops twice or thrice a day 

 in hydrothorax or general anafarca,evidently confifts in weaken- 

 ing the natural actions of the ftomach, perhaps by previoufly 

 itimulating that vifcus too violently ; in confequence the heart 

 and arteries act lefs powerfully from their fympathy with ther 

 ftomach ; and the capillary velTels, and abforbents, act more 

 powerfully in confequence of the lefs expenditure of fenforial 

 power by the inert action of the heart and arteries ; and will 

 confequently abibrb the accumulated fat from the cellular mem- 

 brane, as explained in Supplement I. 12. 10. 



18. oplenis tuinor. Swellings of the fpleen, or in its vicinity, 

 are frequently preceived by the hand in intermittents, which are 

 called Ague-cakes, and feem owing to a deficiency of abforption 

 in the affected part. 



Mr. Y , a young man about twenty- five years of age, 



who lived intemperately, was feized with an obftinate intermit- 

 tent, which had become a continued fever with ftrongpulfe, at- 

 tended with daily remifiion. A large hard tumour on the left 

 fide, on the region of the fpleen, but extending much more 

 downward, was fo diftinctly preemptible, that one feemed to get 



one's 



