262 PRACTICE OF PHYSIC. 



tion of the tubercles of the lungs, is, by avoiding any particular 

 irritation of the affected part which may arise from any violent 

 exercise of respiration ; from any considerable degree of bodily 

 exercise; from any position of the body, which straitens the 

 capacity of the thorax ; and, lastly, from cold applied to the 

 surface of the body, which determines the blood in greater quan- 

 tity to the internal parts, and particularly to the lungs. 



" A certain degree of force and vigour in the system is ne- 

 cessary to obviate or resist the effects of cold : so there may be 

 danger on the one hand of debilitating the system too much, and 

 exposing it to be acted upon by cold, while on the other we op- 

 pose the phlogistic diathesis ; it is therefore not proper to take 

 down the diet to the lowest, but to live on such a one as is not 

 favourable to the plethoric state, and the phlogistic diathesis 

 without going further." 



DCCCCXII. From the last-mentioned consideration, the 

 application of cold in general, and therefore the winter season 

 in cold climates, as diminishing the cutaneous perspiration, is to 

 be avoided ; but more particularly that application of cold is to 

 be shunned, that may suppress perspiration to the degree of oc- 

 casioning a catarrh, which consists in an inflammatory deter- 

 mination to the lungs, and may therefore most certainly produce 

 an inflammation of the tubercles there. 



By considering, that the avoiding heat is a part of the anti- 

 phlogistic regimen above recommended, and by comparing this 

 with what has been just now said respecting the avoiding cold, 

 the proper choice of climates and seasons for phthisical patients 

 will be readily understood. 



u We know, that if the phlogistic diathesis is induced in a 

 warm season from any particular topical affection or irritation, or 

 from any other cause than the cold of winter, that warm season 

 proves indeed a strong aggravation of it ; and the summer of a 

 warm climate will carry on the progress of phthisis further in a 

 few weeks than a colder one in as many months. We have been 

 commonly in the practice of sending our phthisical patients to 

 warm climates ; but let me observe, that experience has shewn, 

 that their abode there during the summer generally is very sud- 

 denly pernicious ; and, therefore, we say, that external warmth 

 is to be avoided in every circumstance of the phthisical state." 



