c/8 DISEASES Glass I. 1. 3. 21* 



kind, as the variolous and venereal matter, when abforbed in a 

 ■wound, produce this torpor, and confequent inflammation of 

 thofe lymphatic glands, where they firit arrive, as in the axilla 

 and groin. There is reafon to fufpecl:, that the tonnls frequent- 

 ly become inflamed, and fuppurate from the matter abforbed 

 from carious teeth 5 and I faw a young lady, who had both the 

 axiMary glands fwelled, and which fuppurated ; which was believ- 

 ed to have been caufed by her wearing a pair of new.green gloves 

 for one day, when (lie had perlpired much, and was much ex- 

 haulted and fatigued by walking - r the gloves were probably dyed 

 in a folution of verditer. 



Thefe indolent tumours of the lymphatic glands, which con- 

 ftitute the fcrofula, originate from the inirritability of thofe 

 glands ; which therefore fooner fall into torpor after having 

 been ftimulated too violently by fome poifonous material j as 

 the mufcles of enfeebled people fooner become fatigued, and 

 ceafe to adt,-when exerted, than thofe of ftronger ones. On the 

 fame account thefe fcrofulous glands are much longer in acquir- 

 ing increafe of motion, after having been ftimulated into inac- 

 tivity, and either remain years in a ftate of indolence, or fup- 

 purate with difficulty, and fometimes only partially. 



The difference between fcrofulous tumours, and thofe before 

 defcribed, confifts in this ; that in thofe either glands of differ- 

 ent kinds were difeafed, or the mouths only of the lymphatic 

 glands were become torpid ; whereas in fcrofula the conglobate 

 glands themfelves become tumid, and generally fuppurate after 

 a great length of time, when they acquire new feniibility. 

 See Seel:. XXXIX. 4. r.. 



Thefe indolent tumours may be brought to fuppurate fome- 

 times by palling electric fhocks through them every day for two 

 or three weeks, as I have witnefTed. It is probable, that the al- 

 ternate application of fnow or iced water to them, till they be- 

 K>me painfully cold, and then of warm flannel or warm water, 

 frequently repeated, might reftore their irritability by accumula- 

 tion of fenforial power ; and thence either facilitate their difper- 

 fion,or occafion them to fuppurate. See Clafs II. 1. 4. 13. 



This difeafe is very frequent amongft thechildren of the poor in 

 larre towns, who are in general ill fed, ill lodged, and ill clothed ; 

 and who are further weakened by eating much fait with their 

 fcanty meal of infipid vegetable food, which is feldom of better 

 quality than water gruel, with a little coarfe bread in it. See 

 diarrhoea of infants, Clafs I. 1. 2. 5. Scrofulous ulcers are 

 difficult to heal, which is owing to the deficiency of abforption 

 on their pale and flabbv furfaces, and to the general inirritability 

 of the fyflem. See CIafs I. 1. 3. 13. 



M. M. Plentiful 



