:t. XXIX. 7. 6. ABSORBENTS. i<$ 



fays) and if in this patient the urine had been feabforoed into 

 the mafs of blood, as the bile in the jaundice, why was it not de- 

 tected in other parts of the body, as well as in the arm-pits ? 



6. Cathartic and vermifuge medicines applied externally to 

 the abdomen, fcera to be taken up by the cutaneous branch of 

 lymphatics, and poured on the interlines by the retrograde mo- 

 tions of the lac?ceals, without having paiTed the circulation. 



For when the drallic purges are taken by the mouth, they ex- 

 cite the lacteds of the interlines into retrograde motions, as ap- 

 pears from the chyle, which is found coagulated among the fe- 

 ces, as was (hewn above, (feci. 2 and 4.) And as the cutaneous 

 lymphatics are joined with the lacteals of the interlines, by fre- 

 quent anaftomofes ; it would be more extraordinary, when a 

 ftrong purging drug, abforbed by the (km, is carried to the anaf- 

 tomofmg branches of the lacleals unchanged, if it ihottld not 

 excite them -into retrograde action as efhcaciouily, as if it was 

 taken by the mouth, and mixed with the food of the flomach. 



VIII. Circuntflances by which ihe Fluids, that are effufed by the 

 Retrograde Motions of the Abforbent Vefjels^ are difiinguifhed* 



T. We frequently obferve an unfual quantity of mucus of 

 other fluids in fome difeafes, although the a£tion of the glands, 

 by which thofe fluids are feparated from the blood, is not un- 

 ufually increafed \ but when the power of abforption alone is di- 

 minished. Thus the catarrhal humour from the noftrils cf 

 fome, who ride in frofly weather 5 and the tears, which run 

 fejMown the cheeks of thofe, who have an obflruclion of the punc- 

 ta iaerymalia 5 and the ichor of thofe phagedenic ulcers, which 

 are not attended with inflammation, are all inilances of this cir- 

 cumftance. 



Thefe fluids however are eafily diflingrJfhed from ethers bv 

 their abounding in amrnoniacal or muriatic falts ; whence they 

 -inflame the circumjacent uz\a : thus in the catarrh the upper Jip 

 becomes red and fwelled from the acrimony of the mucus, and 

 patients complain of the faltnefs of its ta(te. The eyes and 

 cheeks are red with the corrofive tears, and the ichor of fome 

 herpetic eruptions erodes far and wide the contiguous parts, and 

 is pungently fait to the tafle, as fome patients have informed me. 



Whilft, on the contrary, thofe fluids, which are effufed by 

 the retrograde action of the lymphatics, are for the moft part 

 mild and innocent ; as water, chyle, and the natural mucus : 

 or they take their properties from the materials previoufiy ab- 

 sorbed, as in the coloured or vinous urine, or that fcented with 

 afparagus, defcribed before. 



Vol. I. L L 2. Whenever 



