INTUMESCENTI^E. 575 



vages Tympanites enterophysod.es, Sauv. sp. 3. This has 

 certainly been a rare occurrence ; and has probably occurred 

 only in consequence of the tympanites intestinalis, by the air 

 escaping from the cavity of the intestines into the interstices of 

 the coats. It is, however, possible that an erosion of the in- 

 ternal coat of the intestines may give occasion to the air, so 

 constantly present in their cavity, to escape into the interstices 

 of their coats, though in the whole of their cavity there has been 

 no previous accumulation. 



A third species is, when the air is collected in the sac~of the 

 peritonaeum, or what is commonly called the cavity of the ab- 

 domen, that is, the space between the peritonaeum and viscera ; 

 and then the disease is named Tympanites abdominalis, Sauv. 

 sp. 2. The existence of such a tympanites, without any tym- 

 panites intestinalis, has been disputed ; and it certainly has 

 been a rare occurrence : but, from several dissections, it is un- 

 questionable that such a disease has sometimes truly occurred. 



A fourth species of tympanites is, when the tympanites 

 intestinalis and abdominalis are joined together, or take place 

 at the same time. With respect to this, it is probable that the 

 tympanites intestinalis is the primary disease, and the other 

 only a consequence of the air escaping, by an erosion or rupture 

 of the coats of the intestines, from the cavity of these into that 

 of the abdomen. It is indeed possible, that, in consequence of 

 erosion or rupture, the air which is so constantly present in the 

 intestinal canal, may escape from thence in such quantity into 

 the cavity of the abdomen, as to give a tympanites abdominalis, 

 whilst there was no previous considerable accumulation of air in 

 the intestinal cavity itself; but I have not facts to ascertain 

 this matter properly. 



A fifth species has also been enumerated. It is when a tym- 

 panites abdominalis happens to be joined with the hy drops as- 

 cites ; and such a disease, therefore, is named by Sauvages 

 Tympanites asciticus, Sauv. sp. 4. In most cases of tympa- 

 nites, indeed, some quantity of serum has, upon dissection, been 

 found in the sac of the peritonaeum ; but that is not enough to 

 constitute the species now mentioned, and when the collection 

 of serum is more considerable, it is commonly where, both from 

 the causes which have preceded, and likewise from the symp- 



