234 PARALYSIS OF Sect. XXVIIL i 



SECT. XXVIIL 



OF THE PARALYSIS OF THE ABSORBENT SYSTEIvI. 



1. Taralyfis of the lacleals^ atrophy. Dijlafte to animal food. If, 

 Caufe of dropfy. Caufe of herpes. Scrofula. Mefenteric con-> 



fumption. Pulmonary confumption. Why ulcers in the lungs are 

 fo difficult to heal. 



The term paralyfis has generally been ufed toexprefs the lofs 

 of voluntary motion, as in the hemiplegia, but may with equal 

 propriety be applied to exprefs the difobediency of the mufcu- 

 lar fibres to the other kinds of ftimulus ; as to thofe of irritation 

 or fenfation. *, 



I. There is a fpecies of atrophy, which has not been well un- 

 derftood •, when the abforbent veflels of the ftomach and intef- 

 tines have been long inured to the ftimulus of too much f ( nrit- 

 uous liquor, they at length, either by the too fudden omiflion of 

 fermented or fpirituous potation, or from the gradual decay of 

 nature, become in a certain degree paralytic ; now it is obferv- 

 ed in the larger mufcles of the body, when one fide is paralytic, 

 the other is more frequently in motion, owing to the lefs expen- 

 diture of fenforial power in the paralytic limbs ; fo in this cafe 

 the other part of the abforbent fyftem acts with greater force, 

 or with greater perfeverance, in confequence of the paralyfis of 

 the lacteals ; and the body becomes greatly emaciated in a fmail 

 time. 



I have feen feveral patients in this difeafe, of which the fol- 

 lowing are the circumitances. i. They were men about fifty 

 rears of age, and had lived freely in refpccl: to fermented liquors. 



2. They loft their appetite to animal food. 3. They became- 

 fuddenly emaciated to a great degree. 4. Their fkins were dry 

 and rough. 5. They coughed and expectorated with difficulty 

 a vifcid phlegm. 6. The membrane of the tongue was dry 

 and red, ami liable to become ulcerous. 



The inability to digeft animal food, and the confequent dif- 

 taf*e to it, generally precede the dropfy, and other difeates, 

 which origin-ate From fpirituous potation. I fuppofe when the 

 ftomach becomes inirritable, that there is at the lame time a de- 

 ficiency oi gaftric acid ; hence milk feldom agree. . thefc 

 patients, urflefs it be preVi curdled, as they have not fuffi* 

 it gaftric acid to curdle it ; and hence, v >le food, which 

 is itfelf acefcent, will agree with their ftomachs longer than an- 

 , hith requires more 6f the :ic acid for it 5 digeiiion. 



In 



