284 BOTANIC PHYSICIAN. 
-and ragged and painful edges, which spreads in a very rapid manner, 
__ discharges a thin acrimonious matter, that excoriates the neighbor-— 
- ing integuments, and has a very foctid smell, and which is usually 
preceded by a hard schirrous swelling of the part, if glandular. 
i ee 
& i 
Cavses.—A gross, acrimonious, malignant humor in the system, 
which is intercepted by the glands, and collecting in them, produces 
inflammation and tumors : thus a nucleus or collecting point is form- 
ed, to which the cancerous humors centre. Cancers may praceed — 
from suppressed evacuations ; hence it so frequently attacks women — 
of a gross habit, particularly old maids and widows, about the time 
when the menstrual flux ceases. It may be occasioned by the long 
continued use of food that is too hard of digestion, or of an acrid — 
nature ; by barrenness, celibacy, indolence, cold, bruises, friction, 
pressure, or the like. Women often suffer from the last of these by 
means of their stays, which squeeze and compress their breasts so 
as to occasion great mischief- 
If there were any doubts that a cincer procéeds from a constiti- 
tional predisposition, or that it is fed and kept alive by an humor 
that pervades the whole system, surely the frequent and almost cer- 
tain return of the cancer, after it has once been entirely taken out, — 
-™ust settle the question. gale: 
Symproms.—This disorder seems often to be very trifling in the 
_ beginning; a hard tumor about the size of a hazle-nut, or perhaps 
smailer, is generally the first symptom. This will often continue 
for a long time without appearing to increase, or giving the patient 
great 
uneasiness ; but if the constitution be hurt, or the tumor ae 
d b essure or improper treatment of any kind, it begins to_ 
eae towards the eigtthoring Se Sy pisbiag out roots, © 
mbs. It then gets the name of cancer, from a fancied resem: — 
ice between these limbs and the claws of a crab. s 
- The color of the skin begins to change, which is first red, after 
wards purple, then bluish, livid, and at last black. The patient 
x ins of heat, with a burning, gnawing, shooting?pain. The 
tumor is very hard, rough, and unequal, with a protuberance ' 
rising in the middle ; its size increases daily, and the neighbori#g 
“veins become thick, knotty, and of a blackish color. 
The skin at length gives way, and a thin sharp ichor begins toflow, 
vhich corrodes the neighboring parts till it forms a Jarge unsightly 
re ip Cancers arise, and communicate with the neigh 
he pain and stench become intolerable ; the ap 
; the strength is exhausted by a continual hectic fe 
; Dew e or discharge of blood from some 
ody, wi intings or convulsion fits, general! tan 
miserable patient’s life, f f ie : 
e diet should be solid, plain and nourishing 
1g liqu nc see gt ed provisions are t 
ae Gee crate ne te much exercise as he can © 
r; and ‘should use every method to divert thought and 
s fancy. All kinds of external injury are carefully to be. 
