FISTULA. 169 



great eftort of nature for relief. Here be- 

 gins a terrible ftruggk between the contending 

 powers of NATURE and ART; for thoje ap- 

 plications, failing in their intentional effed: of 

 repuifion upon the contents, diftribute their 

 properties upon the integuments, where, by 

 their repeated application, an induration, is 

 efiedled very unfavourable to the abfcefs in its 

 more advanced ftate. Nature at laft effc6ls 

 her purpofcy the tumour is at length brought to 

 fuppurate, and a difcharge comes on ; but 

 without one of thofe advantages that would 

 have been acquired, had the efforts of Nature 

 been attended to and properly encouraged, 

 inftead of oppofed. 



From this inconsistent mode of treat- 

 ment the edges of the wound, when enlarged, 

 become unkind, the feat of a foul or callous 

 complexion; and, inftead of a fubftantial, fa- 

 vourable, healthy matter, the difcharge is a 

 complication of blood, fanies, and a kind of in-^' 

 durated half concoded matter, intermixed 

 with an acrid or corroiive ichor. 



This is in general the origin and progrefs of 

 what (with additional bad treatment) confti-* 



tutes 



