64 PRACTICE OF PHYSIC. 



ach or intestines, as the one would prevent its being frequently 

 repeated, and the other would prevent its passing into the mass 

 of the blood, where its action as an expectorant can only take 

 place. Its acting as a diuretic is always a mark of it having 

 entered the mass of the blood ; and it is my opinion, that it is 

 not to be expected to act as an expectorant, but when it appears 

 also to act upon the kidneys. M. M. 



66 I am ready to believe, that the volatile alkali is much more 

 effectual than squills or gum ammoniac, and more powerful in 

 affecting the mucous glands. Though it be not given in large 

 quantity, it is of so volatile a nature, that it is readily propa- 

 gated over the whole system : but it is a very powerful stimu- 

 lant, and is not admissible till the fever is abated considerably ; 

 as in the end of peripneumony, when it is changed into a ca- 

 tarrhal state, which continues with an effusion of a remarkable 

 viscid mucus into the cavity of the bronchise. In this case the 

 volatile alkali is found to be one of the most useful expec- 

 torants." 



CCCLXXIV. Though a spontaneous sweating often proves 

 the crisis of this disease, it ought not be excited by art, unless 

 with much caution. At least, I have not yet found it either 

 so effectual or safe as some writers have alleged. When, after 

 some remission of the symptoms, spontaneous sweats of a pro- 

 per kind arise, they may be encouraged; but it ought to be 

 without much heat, and without stimulant medicines. If, how- 

 ever, the sweats be partial and clammy only, and a great diffi- 

 culty of breathing still remain, it will be very dangerous to 

 encourage them. 



CCCLXXV. Physicians have differed much in opinion with 

 regard to the use of opiates in pneumonic inflammation. To me 

 it appears, that, in the beginning of the disease, and before 

 bleeding and blistering have produced some remission of the 

 pain and of the difficulty of breathing, opiates have a very bad 

 effect, by their increasing the difficulty of breathing, and other 

 inflammatory symptoms. But in a more advanced state of the 

 disease, when the difficulty of breathing has abated, and when 

 the urgent symptom is a cough, proving the chief cause of the 

 continuance of the pain and of the want of sleep, opiates may 

 be employed with great advantage and safety. The interrup- 



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