Art. HI. 2. 3. 3. SECERNENTIA. 37 



advantageous than the medicines generally enumerated under 

 this head ; the blifters by ftimulating into action the vefiels of 

 the fkin produce by aflbciation a greater activity of thofe of 

 the mucous membrane, which lines the branches of the wind- 

 pipe, and air-cells of the lungs •, and thus after evacuation they 

 promote the abforption of the mucus and confequent healing of 

 the inflamed membrane, while the diluting liquids prevent this 

 mucus from becoming too vifcid for this purpofe, or facilitate 

 its expuition. 



Blifters, one at a time, on the fides or back, or on the fter- 

 num, are alfo ufeful towards the end of peripneumonies, by pre- 

 venting the evening accefs of cold fit, and thence preventing 

 the hot fit by their hamulus on the fkin ; in the fame manner 

 as five drops of laudanum by its ftimulus on the ftomach. For 

 the increafed actions of the veflels of the fkin or ftomach excite 

 a greater quantity of the fenforial power of aflbciation, and thus 

 prevent the torpor of the other parts of the fyftem ; which, 

 when patients are debilitated, is fo liable to return in the 

 evening. 



3. Warm bathing is of great fervice towards the end of perip- 

 neumony to promote expectoration, efpecially in thofe children 

 who drink too little aqueous fluids, as it gently increafes the 

 action of the pulmonary capillaries by their confent with the 

 cutaneous ones, and fupplies the fyftem with aqueous fluid, and 

 thus dilutes the fecreted mucus. 



Some have recommended oil externally around the cheft, as 

 well as internally, to promote expectoration •, and upon the nofe, 

 when its mucous membrane is inflamed, as in common catarrh. 



IV. 1. Diuretics. If the fkin be kept warm, moft of thefe 

 medicines promote fweat inftead of urine ; and if their dofe is 

 enlarged, moft of them become cathartic. Hence the neutral 

 falts are ufed in general for all thefe purpofes. Thofe indeed, 

 which are compofed of the vegetable acid, are moft generally 

 ufed as fudorifics 5 thofe with the nitrous acid as diuretics ; and 

 thofe with the vitriolic acid as cathartics ; while thofe united 

 with the marine acid enter our common nutriment, as a more 

 general ftimulus. All thefe increafe the acrimony of the urine, 

 hence it is retained a lefs time in the bladder ; and in confe- 

 quence lefs of it is reabforbed into the fyftem, and the apparent 

 quantity is greater, as more is evacuated from the bladder ; but 

 it is not certain from thence, that a greater quantity is fecreted 

 by the kidneys. Hence nitre, and other neutral falts, are erro- 

 neoufly given in the gonorrhoea ; as they augment the pain of 

 making water by their ftimulus on the excoriated or inflamed 

 urethral They are alfo errcneoufly given in catarrhs or coughs, 



ere 



