-6 RETROGRADE .Sect. XXIX. £ * 



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that they evacuate the llomach, produce a great abfofptlon of 

 the lymph accumulated in the cellular membrane. In the op- 

 eration of a vomit, net only the motions of the (lomach a-nd du- 

 odenum become inverted, but alio thofe of the lymphatics and 

 iacteais, which belong to them ; whence a great quantity of 

 chyle and lymph is perpetually poured into the (lomach and in- 

 terlines, during the operation, and evacuated by t^ie mouth. 

 Now at the fame time, other branches of the lymphatic fyitem, 

 viz. thofe which open on thecellulai membrane, are brought in- 

 td more energetic action, by the fympathy above mentioned, and 

 an increafe of their abforption is produced. 



Hence repeated vomits, and cupreous ialts, and fmall dofes of 

 fquill or foxglove, are fo efficacious in this difeafe. And as draf- 

 tic purges act alfo by inverting the motions of the la ; £teals •, and • 

 thence the other branches of lymphatics are induced into more 

 powerful natural action, by fympathy, and drink up the fluids 

 from all the cells of the body -, and by their anaitomofes, pour 

 them into the lacteal branches ; which, by their inverted actions, 

 return them into the intcitines ; and they are thus evacua- 

 ted from the body : — thefe purges alio are ufed with fuccefs in 

 difcharging the accumulated fluid in auaiarca. 



II. The following cafes are related with defieu to afcertain 

 the particular kinds of dropfy in which the digitalis purpurea, or 

 common foxglove, is preferable to fquill,- or other evacuants, 

 and were firit published in 1780, in a pamphlet entitled Exper- 

 iments on mucilaginous and purulent Matter, &*c. Cadell. Lon- 

 don. Other cafes of dropfy, treated with digitalis, were after » 

 wards publifhed by Dr. Darwin in the Medical TrunfacUons, 

 vol. iii. in which there is a miftake in refpect to the dok of the 

 powder of foxglove, which ihould have been from five grains to 

 one, initead of from five grains to ten. 



Anafana of the Lungs. 



1. A lady, between forty and fifty vcar:, of age, had orer. i - 

 difpofed fome time, was then feized with cough and lever, and 

 afterwards expectorated much digefted mucus. This expecto- 

 ration fuddenly ceafed, and a considerable difficulty of breathing 

 fupervened, with a pulfe very irregular both in velocity and 

 flrength •, (lie was much dilheiTed at firft lying down, and 

 firft rifing ; but after a minute or two bore either of thofe attitud 

 with eafc. She had no pain or numbnefsin her arms ; me had 

 ho hectic fever, nor any cold fhiverings, and the urine was 

 due quantity, and of the natural colour. 



The difficulty of breathing was twice confiderably relieved by 



