IMPROVED. 257 



When the Waters are lodged in the Abdomen or The Tyra- 

 between the inner Rim of the Belly and Guts, thenp-^-'y* 

 the Dillemper is called a Tympany y becaufe the^''^^^- 

 Belly in fuch Cafes founds like a Drum. 



It is «lfo termed Afcites by the Latins ; and Cel- Afcitea, 

 fusy the famous Phyfician in the Time of Tiberius 

 the third Roman Emperor, tells us, the only Diffe- 

 rence between a Tympanites and Afcites is, that the 

 jiyjl confiils more of Humours and lefs Spirits, the 

 latter of more Spirits and fewer Humours ; which 

 Diilin^lion is pretty nice and worth Obfervance, 

 tho' I don't remember any other Author to have 

 made fo accurate a Remark ; for if it be really as 

 Ce/fus informs us, it is very likely that the Afcites 

 or Dropfy of the Abdomen, which confifls of more 

 Spirits and lef^ watry Humours, may be better cured 

 by proper Medicines, than by the Operation of 

 Tapping, by reafon the fick Creature would better 

 undergo the Lofs of a watry than fpirituous Liquor. 



It is not always to be fuppofed, that a Horfe has F-ver/ 

 got the Dropfy, when he feems to have a Kind ^^\yi2^iJ'^. '^ 

 cold Sw^elling upon his Legs, that takes an Impref- ^^^ ^^ 

 fion from the Finger ; no, this often happens for Dropfy, 

 want of due Exercife, Drefiing, i^c. becaufe, as 

 the Limbs are the moll depending Part of the Body, 

 the Blood moves in them with Difficulty, that is, 

 it prefTes hardell againft the Sides, i^^c. of the . 

 Veffels by the Force of its perpendicular Altitude ; 

 for, all Fluids prefs according to their perpejzdicular A\\ Fluids 

 Altitude, and not according to their ^antity. There- pr-f^ -^<^- 

 fore, I fay, in the Limbs, notvvithilanding Nature '^JJj 7 ^^'^^"^ 

 has very wonderfally contrived what we czVl Valves, '^^^J'^.y.^^^l^^ 

 in order to take off or eafe the Sides of the VelTels Altitudci 

 from the perpendicular Prefiure of the Blood ; yet 

 fuch Prclfure muft be greater there thaji in thofe 

 Veffels which lie more horizontal. And this Piece 

 of Mechanifm may be plainly obferved by any one 

 of the meaneil Capacity, who will be at the leafi: 

 Trouble imaginable to think r For, in thofe Tubes 

 into which Mercury or ^ickflvcr is put ia order to 

 N z lho\\^ 



