FISTULA, 169 



great effort of nature for relief. Here be- 

 gins a terrible flruggle between the contending 

 powers of NATCTRE and ART; for thofe ap- 

 plications failing in their iiUentional effedl of 

 repulfion upon the conterts, diftribute their 

 properties upon the integuments, where, by 

 their repeated appiica'.ion, an induration is 

 effeded very unfavourable to the abfcefs in its 

 more advanced (late. Nature at laft effects 

 her purpofe, the tumour is at length brought to 

 fuppurate, and a difcharge comes on 3 but 

 without one of thofe advantages that would 

 have been acquired, had the efforts of Nature 

 been attended to and properly encouraged, in- 

 ftead of oppoled. 



From this inconsistent mode of treat- 

 ment the edges of t!)e wound, when enlarged, 

 become unkind, the feat of a foul or callous 

 complexion; and, in'lead of a fubftantial, fa- 

 vourable, healdiy matter, the difcharge is a 

 complication -f blood, fanies, and a kind of in- 

 dur^teJ haf coiv.ofled matter, intermixed^vith 

 an acrid or coirofjve ichor. 



This is in gene'-^l the origin and progrefs of 



what (^ with 'additional bad treatment) ccnfti- 



-5 tutes 



