*6z RETROGRADE Sect. XXIX. 6. t , 



reafon to believe, that the fluids were abforbed from the cells of 

 the body by the cellular and cyftic branches of the lymphatics, 

 and poured on the Ikin by the retrograde motions of the cuta- 

 neous ones. 



Sydenham has recorded, in the ftationary fever of the year 

 ?68 ^, the vifcid fweats flowing from the head, which were prob- 

 ably from the fame fourceas thofe in the fweating plague above 

 mentioned. 



It is very common in dropfies of the cheft or lungs to have 

 the difficulty of breathing relieved by copious fweats, flowing 

 from the head and neck. Mr. P. about fifty years of age, had 

 for many weeks been afflicted with anafarcaof his Jegs and thighs, 

 attended with difficulty of breathing ; and had repeatedly been 

 relieved by fquill, other bitters, and chalybeates. — One night 

 the difficulty of breathing became (o great, that it was thought 

 he mufl have expired ; but fo copious a fvveat came out of his 

 head and neck, that in a few hours fome pints, by eftimation, 

 were wiped off from th >fe parts, and his breath was for a time 

 relieved. This dyfpncea and thefe fweats recurred at intervals, 

 and after fome weeks he c to exift. The (kin of his head 



and neck felt cold to the hand, and appeared pale at the time thefe 

 vweat td fo abundantly ; which is a proof, that they were 



produced by an inverted motion of the abforbents of thofe parts : 

 for fweats, which are the confequence of an increafed action of 

 the fanguiferous fyftem, are always attended with a warmth of 

 the fkin, greater than is natural, and e. more florid colour ; as 

 the fweats from exercife, or thofe that fucceed the cold fits of 

 agues. Can any one explain how thefe partial fweats mould re- 

 lieve the difficulty of breathing in anafarca, but by fuppofmg that 

 the pulmonary branch of abforbents drank up the fluid in the 

 ca\ ity of the thorax, or in the cells of the lungs, and threw it on 

 the fkin, bv the retrograde motions of the cutaneous branch ? 

 for, if we could fuppoie, that the increafed action of the cuta- 

 neous glands or capillaries poured upon the ikin this fluid, pre- 

 vicufly abforbed from the lungs ; why is not the whole furface of 

 the body covered with fweat ? why is not the fkin warm ? Add 

 to this, that the fweats above mentioned were clammy or gluti- 

 nous, which the condenfed pcrfpirable matter is not; whence it 

 would feem to have been a different fluid from that of common 

 perfpiration. 



Dr. Dobfon, of Liverpool, has given a very ingenious expla- 

 nation of the acid fweats, which he obferved in a diabetic patient 

 -. — he thinks part of the chyle is fecreted by the Ikin, and after- 

 wards undergoes an acetous fermentation. — Can the chyle get 

 thither, but by an inverted motion cf the cutaneous lymphatics i 



in 



