342 SCOURING. 



adhesive in form, coming away without great 

 efforts and an extension of the fundament, 

 approaching to pain, the body may then be 

 considered in a proper and healthy state ; 

 but when the dung comes away with seem- 

 ing labour, is remarkably hard in substance, 

 very dark in colour upon falling, and strong 

 or foetid in smell, it may be fairly conclud- 

 ed, the contents of the intestines are indu- 

 rated, and nearly approaching a state of dis- 

 ease. When they are observed to be in this 

 condition, a gentle promotion of evacuations, 

 or course of purgatives, may be premised, as 

 very salutary preventatives of danger, ex- 

 pense, and trouble. 



SCOURING, OR LOOSENESS. 



An aphorism of the jiistly celebrated Boer^ 

 liaave^ that '* Nature never purges herself but 

 '' when she wants purging,'' is so firmly fix- 

 ed upon the basis of truth, that it has been 

 very seldom subject to exception. But as 

 there are, in fact, so few rules (either phy- 

 sical or moral) that w^ill not admit of some, 

 it can create no surprize that the maxims of 

 so great a man should be entitled to their 



