SPASMODIC AFFECTIONS. 483 



distinguished from cholera, I must admit here, that as the 

 causes producing that state of the bile which occasions cholera, 

 may occur in all the different possible degrees of force ; so as on 

 one occasion, to produce the most violent and distinctly marked 

 cholera ; but, upon another, to produce only the gentlest diarr- 

 hoea, which, however, will be the same disease, only varying 

 in degree : so I think it probable, that in warm climates, and 

 in warm seasons, a diarrhoea biliosa of this kind may frequent- 

 ly occur, not to be always certainly distinguished from cholera. 



However this may be, it is sufficiently probable, that in some 

 cases, the bile, without having been acted upon by the heat of 

 the climate or season, may be redundant and acrid, and prove 

 therefore a particular cause of diarrhoea. 



MCCCCLXXXI. Beside bile from the several causes and 

 in the conditions mentioned, the biliary duct may pour out pus, 

 or other matter, from abscesses in the liver, which may be the 

 cause of diarrhoea. 



Practical writers take notice of a diarrhoea wherein a thin and 

 bloody liquid is discharged, which they suppose to have proceed- 

 ed from the liver, and have therefore given the disease the name 

 of Hepatirrhoea ; but we have not met with any instance of this 

 kind ; and, therefore, cannot properly say any thing concern- 

 ing it. 



MCCCCLXXXII. A second set of excretories, from which 

 matter is poured into the cavity of the intestines, are those from 

 the coats of the intestines themselves ; and are either the ex- 

 halents proceeding directly from the extremities of arteries, or 

 the excretories from the mucous follicles : and both these sources 

 occur in prodigious number over the internal surface of the 

 whole intestinal canal. It is probable that it is chiefly the ef- 

 fusion from these sources which, in most instances, gives the 

 matter of the liquid stools occurring in diarrhoea. 



MCCCCLXXXIII. The matter from both sources may be 

 poured out in larger quantity than usual, merely by the in- 

 creased action of the intestines, whether that be excited by the 

 passions of the mind (MCCCCLXXIL), by diseases in other 

 parts of the system (MCCCCLXXI. 1.), or by the various 

 stimulants mentioned MCCCCLXXV. and following ; or the 

 quantity of matter poured out may be increased, not so much by 



