274 PARALYSIS Sect. XXX. i. 4. 



I have in two in (lances feen from thirty to fifty bile-Hones 

 come away by ftool, about the fize of large peas, after having 

 given fix grains of calomel in the evening, and four ounces of 

 oil of almonds or olives on the fucceeding morning. I have 

 alfo given half a pint of good olive or almond oil as an emetic 

 during the painful fit, and repeated it in half an hour, if the 

 firfr. did not operate, with frequent good effect. 



4. Another difeafe of the liver, which I have feveral times ob- 

 ferved, conlifts in the inability or paralyfis of the fecretory vef- 



-fels. This difeafe has generally the fame caufe as the preceding 

 one, the too frequent potation of fpirituous liquors, or the too 

 fudden omiflion of them, after the habit is confined ; and is 

 greater or lefs in proportion, as the whole or a part of the liver 

 is affected, and as the inability or paralyfis is more or lefs com- 

 plete. 



This palfy of the liver is known from thefe fymptoms, the pa-u 

 tients have generally parTed the meridian of life, have drunk 

 fermented liquors daily, but perhaps not been opprobrious 

 drunkards ; they lofe their appetite, then their flefh and flrength 

 diminifh in confequence, there appears no bile in their (tools, 

 nor in their urine, nor is any hardnefs or fwelling perceptible 

 in the region of the liver. But what is peculiar to this difeafe, 

 and diftinguifhes it from all others at the fiift glance of the eye, 

 is the bombycinous colour of the fkin, which, like that of full- 

 grown filk worms, has a degree of tranfparency with a yellow 

 tint not greater than is natural to the ferum of the blood. 



Mr. C. and Mr. B. both very ftrong men, between fifty and 

 fixty years of age, who had drunk ale at their meals inftead of 

 fmall beer, but were not reputed hard-drinkers, fuddenly became 

 weak, loft their appetite, flefh and ftrength, with all the fymp- 

 toms above enumerated, and died in aboutrtvvo months from the 

 beginning of their malady. Mr. C. became anafarcous a few 

 days before his death, and Mr. B. had frequent and great hem- 

 orrhages from an iiiue, and fome parts of his mouth, a few- 

 days before his death. In both thefe cafes calomel, bitters, and 

 chalybeates were repeatedly ufed without efieft. 



One of the patients defcribed above, Mr. C. was by trade 2 

 plumber ; both of them could digefl no food, and died apparent- 

 ly for want of blood. Might not the transfufion of blood be 

 ufed in thefe cafes with advantage ? 



5. When the paralyfis of the hepatic glands is lefs complete, 

 or lefs univerfal, a fcirrholity of fome part of the liver is indu- 

 ced ; for the fecretory veiTels retaining fome of their living pow- 

 er take up a fluid from the circulation, without being fufheient- 

 ly irritable to carry it forwards to their excretory ductd : hence 



the 



