INTUMESCENTIJR. 585 



quently operates by itself; and frequently, in some measure, 

 concurring with other causes, is especially that which gives 

 them their full effect. 



This state of the system, in its first appearance, seems to be 

 what has been considered as a particular disease under the name 

 of Cachexy ; but in every instance of it that has occurred to 

 me, I have always considered, and have always found, it to be 

 the beginning of general dropsy. 



MDCLVIII. The several causes of dropsy already men- 

 tioned, may produce the disease, although there be no preternat- 

 ural abundance of serous or watery fluid in the blood-vessels ; 

 but it is now to be remarked, that a preternatural abundance of 

 that kind may often give occasion to the disease, and more 

 especially when such abundance concurs with the causes above 

 enumerated. 



One cause of such preternatural abundance may be an un- 

 usual quantity of water taken into the body. Thus, an unusual 

 quantity of water taken in by drinking, has sometimes occasion- 

 ed a dropsy. Large quantities of water, it is true, are upon 

 many occasions taken in ; and being as readily thrown out 

 again by stool, urine, or perspiration, have not produced any 

 disease. But it is also certain, that, upon some occasions, an 

 unusual quantity of watery liquors taken in has run off by the 

 several internal exhalents, and produced a dropsy. This seems 

 to have happened, either from the excretories not being fitted 

 to throw out the fluid so fast as it had been taken in, or from 

 the excretories having been obstructed by accidentally concur- 

 ring causes. Accordingly it is said, that the sudden taking in 

 of a large quantity of very cold water has produced dropsy, 

 probably from the cold producing a constriction of the excre- 

 tories. 



The proportion of watery fluid in the blood may be increas- 

 ed, not only by the taking in a large quantity of water by 

 drinking, as now mentioned, but it is possible that it may be 

 increased also by water taken in from the atmosphere by the 

 skin in an absorbing or imbibing state. It is well known that 

 the skin may be, at least, occasionally in such a state ; and it 

 is probable, that in many cases of beginning dropsy, when the 

 circulation of the blood on the surface of the body is very Ian- 



