INTUMESCENTL/E. 



can hardly be supposed to proceed from any other cause than 

 spasmodic constrictions in certain parts of the canal ; and I 

 conclude, therefore, that such constrictions concur as part in 

 the proximate cause of tympanites. Whether these spasmodic 

 constrictions are to be attributed to the remote cause of the dis- 

 ease, or may be considered as the consequence of some degree 

 of atony first arising, I cannot with certainty, and do not find it 

 necessary to Determine. 



MDCXXXVII. Having thus endeavoured to ascertain the 

 proximate cause of tympanites, I proceed to treat of its cure ; 

 which indeed has seldom succeeded, and almost never but in a 

 recent disease. I must, however, endeavour to say what may 

 be reasonably attempted ; what has commonly been attempted ; 

 and what attempts have sometimes succeeded in the cure of this 

 disease. 



MDCXXXVIII. It must be a first indication to evacuate 

 the air accumulated in the intestines : and for this purpose it is 

 necessary that those constrictions, which had especially occa- 

 sioned its accumulation and continue to interrupt its passage 

 along the course of the intestines, should be removed. As these, 

 however, can hardly be removed but by exciting the peristaltic 

 motion in the adjoining portions of the intestines, purgatives 

 have been commonly employed ; but it is at the same time 

 agreed, that the more gentle laxatives only ought to be employ- 

 ed, as the more drastic, in the overstretched and tense state of 

 the intestines, are in danger of bringing on inflammation. 



It is for this reason, also, that glysters have been frequently 

 employed ; and they are the more necessary, as the faeces col- 

 lected are generally found to be in a hard and dry state. Not 

 only upon account of this state of the faeces, but farther, when 

 glysters produce a considerable evacuation of air, and thus show 

 that they have some effect in relaxing the spasms of the intes- 

 tines, they ought to be repeated very frequently. 



MDCXXXIX. In order to take off the constrictions of the 

 intestines, and with some view also to the carminative effects of 

 the medicines, various antispasmodics have been proposed, and 

 commonly employed ; but their effects are seldom considerable, 

 and it is alleged, that their heating and inflammatory powers 

 have sometimes been hurtful. It is, however, always proper to 



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