INFLAMMATIONS. 19 



particularly ileus ; but if an inflammatory diathesis prevails in the 

 whole system, and is not fixed to any particular part, as in the 

 case of rheumatism, the early application of blisters is seldom 

 of any durable effect with respect to the whole system, and of 

 very little with respect to the particular part. 



" With regard to internal antispasmodics, I know of none 

 used in inflammation. Our physicians have agreed upon this 

 practice as of no efficacy. If any were to be used internally, 

 probably opium would be the chief." 



The use of opium in inflammatory diseases has been declar- 

 ed hurtful by the practitioners of almost all ages. The reason 

 of it is obvious : if inflammatory diseases consist in an increas- 

 ed action of the heart and arteries, with a phlogistic diathesis 

 which causes and supports this increased action, it is highly 

 probable that every stimulus applied to the system must do the 

 same, and thereby aggravate the disease : but opium, on many 

 occasions, as we have said already, is a stimulant power ; and 

 whoever denies this, as some, in writing, have done, appears to 

 deny and misrepresent facts admitted by every body else. For 

 my part, I conclude, with the utmost confidence, that opium 

 in general, is hurtful in all inflammatory diseases, and disposed 

 to increase the phlogistic diathesis of the system ; and as all 

 practitioners are agreed that blood-letting affords the most ef- 

 fectual means for the cure of that diathesis, so we are persuad- 

 ed of the propriety of Dr. Young^s general rule, that opium is 

 improper in all those cases in which blood-letting is necessary. 

 But I must allow that there may be exceptions, or circum 

 stances in certain inflammatory diseases, that may admit, or 

 perhaps require the use of opium. Such are those cases in 

 which the inflammatory state arises from irritation in a par- 

 ticular part producing spasm, and supervening inflammation, 

 M . M. 



" We have now learned, I think, to cure rheumatism by the 

 use of opium in the Dover's Powder, as I shall have occasion 

 to point out more fully hereafter. 



" Here I had chiefly in view certain antispasmodics which 

 are applied externally. 



" In all external inflammations, except in those of the ery- 



B 2 



