Art. II. 2. 3. 1. INCITANTIA. 27 



nearer each other than at the other, and the knobs were pufhed 

 out fo far as exactly to include the tumour. 



Inflammations of the eyes without fever are frequently cured 

 by taking a ftream of very fmall electric fparks from them, or 

 giving the electric fparks to them, once or twice a day for a 

 week or two j that is, the new vefTels, which conftitute inflam- 

 mation in thefe inirritable conftitutions, are abforbed by the ac- 

 tivity of the abforbents induced by the ftimulus of the electric 

 aura. For this operation the eafieft method is to fix a pointed 

 wire to a ftick of fealing wax, or to an infulating handle of glafs ; 

 one end of this wire communicates with the prime conductor, 

 and, the point is approached near the inflamed eye in every di- 

 rection. 



III. Externally the application of ether, and of effential oils, 

 as of cloves or cinnamon, feems to pofTefs a general flimulating 

 effect. As they inftantly relieve tooth-ach, and hiccough, 

 when thefe pains are not in violent degree ; raid camphor in 

 large dofes is faid to produce intoxication ; this effect however 

 I have not been witnefs to, and have reafon to doubt. 



Ether dropped into the ears of fome deafifh people, feems to 

 poiTefs a two-fold e^/Fect, one of diflblving the indurated ear-wax, 

 and the other of flimulating the torpid organ, but it is liable to 

 give fome degree of pain, unlets it be freed from the fulphurous 

 acid, fome of which arifes along with it in diftillation ; to pu- 

 rify it from this material it mould be rectified from manganefe. 

 See Oafs I. 2. 5. 6. Lime added to impure ether may alfo 

 unite with the fulphuric acid, if fuch exifts in it, and form fele- 

 nite, and fubfide. 



The manner in which ether and the efTential oil operate on 

 the fyflem when applied externally, is a curious queition, as 

 pain is fo immediately relieved by them, that they mud fcem to 

 penetrate by the great fluidity or expaniive property of a part of 

 them, as of their odoriferous exhalation or vapour, and thus ftim~ 

 ulate the torpid part, and not by their being taken up by the ab- 

 ibrbent veflels, and carried thither by the long courfe of circula- 

 tion •, nor is it probable, that thefe pains are relieved by the 

 fympathy of the torpid membrane with the external fkin, which 

 is thus Simulated into action •, as it does not fucceed, unlcfs it 

 is applied over the pained part. Thus there appears to be three 

 different modes by which extraneous bodies may be introduced 

 into the fyftem, befides that of abforption. ift. By ethereal 

 tranfuion, as heat and electricity ; 2d. by chemical attraction, 

 as oxygen j and 3d. by expanfive vapour, as ether and efTen- 

 tial oils. 



IV. The perpetual neceflity of the mixture of oxygen gas 



with 



