586 PRACTICE OF PHYSIC. 



guid, that the skin may be changed from a perspiring to an 

 imbibing state ; and thus, at least, the disease may be very 

 much increased. 



MDCLIX. A second cause of a preternatural abundance of 

 watery fluids in the blood-vessels, may be an interruption of 

 the ordinary watery excretions ; and accordingly it is alleged, 

 that persons much exposed to a cold and moist air are liable to 

 dropsy. It is also said, that an interruption, or considerable 

 diminution, of the urinary secretion has produced the disease : 

 and it is certain, that in the case of an ischuria renalis, the 

 serosity retained in the blood-vessels has been poured out into 

 some internal cavities, and has occasioned dropsy. 



MDCLX. A third cause, of an over-proportion of serous 

 fluid in the blood ready to run off by the exhalents, has been 

 very large evacuations of blood, either spontaneous or artificial. 

 These evacuations, by abstracting a large proportion of red 

 globules and gluten, which are the principal means of retaining 

 serum in the red vessels, allow the serum to run off more readily 

 by the exhalents ; and hence dropsies have been frequently the 

 consequence of such evacuations. 



It is possible also, that large and long-continued issues, by 

 abstracting a large proportion of gluten, may have the same 

 effect. 



An over-proportion of the serous parts of the blood may not 

 only be owing to the spoliation just now mentioned, but may, 

 I apprehend, be likewise owing to a fault in the digestion and 

 assimilating powers in the stomach and other organs, whereby 

 they do not prepare and convert the aliments taken in, in such 

 a manner, as to produce from them the due proportion of red 

 globules and gluten ; but still continuing to supply the watery 

 parts, occasion these to be in an over-proportion, and conse- 

 quently ready to run off in too large quantity by the exhalents. 

 It is in this manner that we explain the dropsy, so often attend- 

 ing chlorosis : which appears always at first by a pale colour of 

 the whole body, showing a manifest deficiency of red blood ; 

 which in that disease can only be attributed to an imperfect 

 digestion and assimilation. 



Whether a like imperfection take places in what has been 

 called a Cachexy, I dare not determine. This disease indeed 



