74 TORPENTIA. Art. VII. 2. 1. 1, 



chemical acrimony, as acid of vitriol in cardialgia, which pre- 

 vents the fermentation of the aliment in the ftomach, and its 

 confequent acidity. Secondly, which deftroy worms, as calo- 

 mel, iron filings or ruft of iron, in the round worms ; or amal- 

 gama of quickfilver and tin, or tin in very large dofes, in the 

 tape-worms. Will ether in clyfters deftroy afcarides ? Thirdly, 

 by chemically deftroying extraneous bodies, as cauftic alkali, 

 lime, mild alkali in the ftone. Fourthly, thofe things which lu- 

 bricate the vefTels, along which extraneous bodies Hide, as oil in 

 the ftone in the urethra, and to expedite the expectoration of 

 hardened mucus ; or which leffen the friclion of the contents 

 in the inteftinal canal in dyfentery or aphtha, as calcined hartf- 

 horn, clayj Armenian bole, chalk, bone-afhes. Fifthly, fuch 

 things as foften or extend the cuticle over tumors, or phleg- 

 mons, as warm water, poultices, fomentations, or by confining 

 rhe perfpfrable matter on the part by cabbage-leaves, oil, fat 3 

 bee's- wax, pi afters, oiled iilk, externally applied. 



Thefe decreafe the natural heat and remove pains occafioned 

 by excefs of irritative motions. 



II. Observations on the Torpentia. 



I. As the torpentia confift of fuch materials as are lefs ftim- 

 ulating than our ufual diet, it is evident, that where this clafs of 

 medicines is ufed, fome regard muft be had to the ufual manner 

 of living of the patient both in refpect to quantity and quality. 

 Hence wounds in thofe, who have been accuftomed to the ulc 

 of much wine, are very liable to mortify, unlefs the ufual pota- 

 tion of wine be allowed the patient. And in thefe habits I have 

 feen a delirium in a fever cured almoft immediately by wine $ 

 which was occafioned by the too mild regimen directed by the 

 attendants. On the contrary in great inflammation, the fub- 

 duciion of food, and of fpirituous drink, contributes much to the 

 cure of the difeafe. As by thefe means both the ftimulus from 

 diftention of the veiTels, as well as that from the acrimony of 

 the fluids, is decreafed •, but in both thefe refpecls the previous 

 habits of diet of the patients muft be attended to. Thus if tea 

 be made ftronger, than the patient has ufually drunk it, it be- 

 longs to the article forbentia 5 if weaker, it belongs to the tor- 

 pentia. 



II. 1. Water in a quantity greater than ufual diminifhes the 

 aclion of the fyftem not only by diluting our fluids, and thence 

 leflening their ftimulus, but by lubricating the folids ; for not 

 only p&its of our folids have their fliding over each other facili- 

 tated by the interpofition of aqueous particles 5 but the particles 



of 



