: 134 BOTANIC PHYSICIAN. 
Pp of lubricating and keeping moist. — 
‘the intestines. Various ‘causes may concur to pro- 
e a morbid increase of this secretion ; and whenever the quan- 
ected in the abdomen is large, it constitutes dropsy in the 
wo Sap oy ae % : 
variety of dropsy often accom ies a general disease of the 
em, be ing freqassdy sombined parse swelling of the lower exé 
- tremities. But in some instances it is local, and is evidently ine 
- duced by compression of the lymphatics ; most frequently by schir+ 
rou ellings of some of the viscera, commonly an enlarged state 
of the liver. oe 
__ The presence of a fluid in the cavity of the abdomen, is known 
the swelling that takes place ; bya sense of tightness all ever ae 
belly ; by the breathing being difficult and laborious, when the pa 
tient is i ‘al posture; and by a sense of fluctuation being — 
to the fingers, placed on o ‘side of the belly, when it 
reibly struck on the other. A concurrence of these circum 
stances will always, to a discerning practitioner, point out the real 
nature of the disease. But a further confirmation is obtained of it 
when the patient complains of thirst, a dry skin, searcivy of urine; 
and other symptoms of dropsy. : : 
When the swellitig is found to extend equally over the abdomen, 
~ the serum is commonly diffused among the different viscera, and is 
contained within the lining membrane only. It sometimes happens, 
however, that it is collected in different bags, or perhaps in one or 
both the ovaria ; in which case the tumor is not commonly. so oq 
nor the fluctuation so distinctly perceived, as when the water ows 
reely through the whole cavity. This circumstance of fluctuation 
depends also on the consistence of the fluid ; for. we sometimes find 2 
_ it thick and gelatinous, whilst most frequently it is thin and watery. _ 
_ Diuretics and other evacuants in the cure of local dropsieal swell- 
ings, rarely prove useful, unless the patient be strong and of geod 
tonstitution. When this is the case, it may be useful to give diu- _ 
retics and drastic purges, as gamboge, in small doses, which will — 
often bring away immense quantities of water ; -but it can be advisa- 
ble only in ‘few cases. The principal object, therefore, to be kept in 
view here, is, to discharge the water collected in the belly, by tapping, 
as soon as its existence is ascertained, and it resists the operation 
medicine ; while the most effectual remedics should, in the mean 
time, be employed for preventing a return of the disease, This is 
sometimes impracticable: but often cures may be accomplished ; and 
would probably happen more frequently if the fluid collected im the 
belly was more early discharged. In general this is delayed too 
long ; for the bowels must surely be greatly injured by being soaked 
so long in water, as usually happens in-dropsy in the belly before 
the operation is advised. This too, is the more improper, as the 
operation of tapping is, in: itself, exceedingly simple. let a 
little pain; and any danger attending it does not proceed so muck 
trom the nature of the ion; as 
general much debilitated by the long continuance of the disease be- 
fore it is performed ; which renders an incision, in extreme cases, 
liable to mortification from the eold and inactive state of the par 
- 
from the constitution being in — 
