Sect. XXVIII. 2. ABSORBENTS. 235 



In this difeafe the Cfcin is dry from the increafed abforption of 

 the cutaneous lymphatics, the fat is abforbed from the increafed 

 abforption of the cellular lymphatics, the mucus of the lungs 

 is too vifcid to be eafily fpit up by the increafed abforption of 

 the thinner parts of it, the membrana fneideriana becomes dry, 

 covered with hardened mucus, and at length becomes inflamed 

 and full ofapthse, and either thefe (loughs, or pulmonary ulcers, 

 terminate the fcene. 



II. The immediate caufe of dropfy is the paralyfis of fome 

 other branches of the ahforbent iyltem, which are called lym- 

 phatics, and which open into the larger cavities of the body, or 

 into the cells of the cellular membrane ; whence thofe cavities 

 or cells become diftended with the fluid, which is hourly fecre^ 

 ted into them for the purpofe of lubricating their furfaces. As 

 . is more fully explained in No. 5. of the next Section. 



As thofe lymphatic vefTels confift generally of a long neck or 

 mouth, which drinks up its appropriated fluid, and of a conglob- 

 ate gland, in which this fluid undergoes fome change, it hap- 

 pens, that fometimes the mouth of the lymphatic, and fometimes 

 the belly or glandular part of it, becomes totally or partially par- 

 alytic. In the former cafe, where the mouths of the cutaneous 

 lymphatics become torpid or quiefcent, the fluid fecreted on the 

 fkin ceafes to be abforbed, and erodes the fkin by its faline acrL? 

 mony, and produces eruptions termed herpes, the difcharge from 

 which is as fait, as the tears, which are fecreted too faft to be reab- 

 sorbed, as in grief, or when the puncta lacrymalia are obftrucled, 

 and which running down the cheek redden and inflame the fkin. 



When the mouths of the lymphatics, which open on the mu- 

 cous membrane of the noitrils, become torpid, as on walking into 

 the air in a frofty morning j the mucus, which continues to be fe- 

 creted, has not its aqueous and faline part reabforbed which run- 

 ning over the upper lip inflames it, and has a fait tafte, if it fails 

 on the tongue. 



When the belly, or glandular part of one of thefe lymphatics^ 

 becomes torpid, the fluid abforbed by ifs mouth ftagnates, and 

 forms a tumour in the gland. This difeafe is called the fcrofula. 

 If thefe glands fuppurate externally, they gradually heal, as thofe 

 of the neck •, if they fuppurate without an opening on the ex- 

 ternal habit, as the mefenteric glands, a hectic fever enfues, which 

 deilroys the patient ; if they fuppurate in the lungs, a pulmonary 

 confumption enfues, which is believed thus to differ from that 

 defcribed in the preceding Section, in refpect to its feat or prox- 

 imate caufe. 



It is remarkable, that matter produced by fuppuration will lie 

 concealed in the body many weeks, or even months, without pro* 



iluciu 



