342 SCOURING. 6cc. 



colour (inclining to that of a new guinea), 

 moderate in confidence, regular and adhefive 

 in form, coming away without great efforts 

 and an extenfion of the fundament, approach- 

 ing to pain, the body may then be confidered 

 in a proper and healthy ftate ; but when the 

 dung comes away with feeming labour, is 

 remarkably hard in fubftance, very dark in 

 colour upon falling, and ilrong or fcetid in 

 fmell, it maybe fairly concluded, the contents 

 of the intefdnes are indurated, and nearly ap- 

 proaching a ftate of difeafe. When they are 

 obferved to be in this condition a gentle pro- 

 motion of evacuations, or courfe of purga- 

 tives, may be premifed, as very fUutary pre- 

 ventatives to danger, expenfe, and trouble, 



SCOURING, or LOOSENESS. 



An aphorifm of the juftly celebrated Boer* 

 haave, that *' Nature never purges herfelf but 

 " when (he wants purging," is io firmly fixed 

 upon the bafis of truth, that it has been very 

 feldom flibjedt to exception. But there are, in 



faft, 



