IMPROVED. 187 



by the Miliary-Glands, fo that it dcfarms the.Skiri, 

 as alfo in fome Kinds of HiemorrJmges or Bleedings, 

 Things of this Nature take Place ; which anfwer 

 fuch Ends by aftringing the Fibres, fo that the Aper- 

 tures or Openings are clofed,. and do not admit any . 

 filth Fluid through them afterwards. 



Some Tilings alfo anfwer this End by ftiniulatingstinmlantg 

 the Fibres of the tumified Part, fo as to give themfometimcs 

 fudden and forcible Twitches, whereby the Obilruc- opera re a.s 

 tion is fometimes loofenM and fhook (as it were) ^^t^^^^^""-^* 

 away with the refluent Blood ; and fuch a Sort of 

 Morion as this will be occafioned by the fudden Ap- 

 plication of any Thing extremely cold, as common 

 Water, or the like : But this Pradlice is feldom fafe; 

 by reafon if the frft Efforts, which the Fibres are 

 put upon by fuch Mean?, do not facceed in break- 

 ing away the inclofed Matter, they will be llrainM., 

 and not afterwards able to repeat their natural Vi- 

 brations : The Confequence of which is w^eakening 

 the Part, and fo the Tumour or Swelling will be 

 flill more obftinate. 



There are many other Means and accidental Cir- 

 cumllances, which contribute to favour or retard 

 this Way of Practice ; I mean the Ufe of Repel- 

 ling Medicines ; but the Hints already given may, 

 I hope, prove fufficient : Therefore I fhall now give 

 an i\cccunt what is meant by Suppurative Medicines, 

 or fuch Medicaments as are generally flyled Ripeners 

 or Drav/Ci's. 



By Ripeners or Drawers I mean thcfe Applica- Snppn.r?.- 

 tions which, by the Adivity and Warmth of their ti^'c ^^-,^': 

 Parts, are able to penetrate the Pores, and mix with, operation^^ 

 and rarefy any obilrudled Matter, fo that it may begxplain'd, 

 render'd fit for Difcharge upon laying open the Part 

 by Caufticks or Incifion. 



Now in many Inflances, as the Matter by thefe 

 Means rariiies, and grows more fluid, the refluent 

 Blood is apt to wafli it back into the common Mafs ; 

 which fometimes is of that Nature, as to do a great 

 deal of Mifchief i or by making it take up more 



Room 



