2i6 DISEASES Glass II. i. 3. 1?, 



foils containing acid, as fublimate or mercury or arfemc ; or if 

 it be otherwife inflamed, or very fenlihie to the flimulus of the 

 gaftric acid ; or where it abounds with acid of any kind, as in 

 cardialgia ; the exhibition of foap is perhaps a preferable man- 

 ner of giving alkali than any other, as it decornpofes in the Hom- 

 ach without efrervefcenee ; while the cauftic alkali is too acrid to 

 be adminiltered in fuch cafes, and the mild alkali produces car- 

 bonic gas. If a drop of acid of vitriol be put on cap-paper, it 

 will be long before it deftroys the paper j but if a drop of mild 

 alkali be added, a fudden effcrvefeence arifes, and trie paper is 

 infcandy dettroyed by the eicape of the fixed air ; in the fame 

 manner as lumps of fohd lime are broken into powder by the ef- 

 cape of the (team produced from the water, which is poured on 

 them. This (hews why a fucceffion of acid and of alkaline cauf- 

 tics fooner deftroys a part, than either of them applied feparately. 



18. Dyfenteria. Bloody-flux is attended with fenfitive fever, 

 generally with arterial debility ; with frequent mucous or bloody 

 ftools, which contain contagious matter produced by the mem- 

 branes of the inteflines ; the alimentary excrement being never- 

 thelefs, retained ; with griping pains, and tenefmus. 



Linneus obferved microfcopic animals in the flools of dyfen- 

 teric patients, and concluded from thence that they were the 

 caufe of the difeafe ; in the fame manner the animaicula, feen 

 by microfcopes, in the puftules of the itch, have been iuppofed 

 to be the caufe of thofe eruptions. See Article IV. 2. 1. 3. 

 Thefe animaicula are nevertheiefs feen in almoft all animal fluids 

 which have for a time ftagnated ; as in the femen, and in all 

 liquid evacuations from the interlines, as afierted by Buffon ; 

 who efteems them to be organized beings, though not perfect 

 animals, in his ingenious treadle on generation. Hiiloire Nat- 

 ure!. 



M. M. Emetics. Antimonials. Peruvian bark. Opium 

 and calomel, of each a grain every night. Bolus armenias 

 Earth of alum. Chalk. Calcined hartfliorn. Mucilage. Bee's 

 wax mixed with yolk of egg. Cerated glafs of antimony. 

 Warm bath. Flannel clothing next to the fkin. Large clyfters 

 with opium. With ipecacuanha, with fmoke of tobacco ? 

 Two dyfenteric patients m the fame ward, of the infirmary at 

 Edinburgh, quarrelled, and whipped each other with horfewhips 

 a long time, and were both much better after it, owing perhaps 

 to the exertion of fo much, of the fenforial power of volition ; 

 which, like real infanity, added excitement to the whole fyftem. 



The prevention of this contagion mult coniilt principally in 

 ventilation and cleanlinefs 5 hence the patients inould be re- 

 moved into cottages diftant from each other, or into tents ; and 



their 



