SPASMODIC AFFECTIONS. 4(>7 



striction upon their extremities allows only the pure watery parts 

 to be poured out, analogous, as I judge, in every respect, to 

 what happens in the Diabetes hystericus. 



MCCCCXXXIV. The practice in this disease is as difficult 

 as the theory. The paroxysm is only to be certainly relieved 

 by opium. Other antispasmodics, as vitriolic ether and volatile 

 alkali, are sometimes of service, but not constantly so. Al- 

 though opium and other antispasmodics relieve the fits, they 

 have no effect in preventing their recurrence. For this purpose, 

 the whole of the remedies of dyspepsia have been employed 

 without success. Of the use of the nux vomica, mentioned as a 

 remedy by Linnaeus, I have had no experience. 



CHAP. IX. OF THE COLIC. 



MCCCCXXXV. The principal symptom of this disease is 

 a pain felt in the lower belly. It is seldom fixed and pungent 

 in one part, but is a painful distention in some measure spread- 

 ing over the whole of the belly ; and particularly with a sense 

 of twisting or wringing round the navel. At the same time, 

 with this pain, the navel and teguments of the belly are fre- 

 quently drawn inwards, and often the muscles of the belly are 

 spasmodically contracted, and this in separate portions, giving 

 the appearance of a bag full of round balls. 



MCCCCXXXV I. Such pains, in a certain degree, some- 

 times occur in cases of diarrhoea and cholera ; but these are 

 less violent and more transitory, and are named Gripings. It 

 is only when more violent and permanent, and attended with 

 costiveness, that they constitute colic. This is also commonly 

 attended with vomiting, which in many cases is frequently re- 

 peated, especially when any thing is taken down into the 

 stomach ; and in such vomitings, not only the contents of the 

 stomach are thrown up, but also the contents of the duodenum, 

 and therefore frequently a quantity of bile. 



MCCCCXXXVII. In some cases of colic, the peristaltic 

 motion is inverted through the whole length of the alimentary 

 canal, in such a manner that the contents of the great guts, 



2c 2 



