INTUMESCENTI^. 



has been commonly and very evidently owing to the general 

 causes of debility above mentioned : and it being probable that 

 the general debility may affect the organs of digestion and 

 assimilation : so the imperfect state of these functions, occasion- 

 ing a deficiency of red globules and gluten, may often concur 

 with the laxity of the exhalents in producing dropsy. 



MDCLXI. These are the several causes of increased ex- 

 halation, which I have mentioned as the chief cause of the ef- 

 fusion producing dropsy ; but I have likewise observed in 

 MDCXLVII. that with the same effect, an effusion may also 

 be made by the rupture of vessels carrying watery fluids. 



In this way a rupture of the thoracic duct, has given occa- 

 sion to an effusion of chyle and lymph into the cavity of the 

 thorax ; and a rupture of the lacteals has occasioned a like 

 effusion into the cavity of the abdomen : and in either case, a 

 dropsy has been produced. 



It is sufficiently probable, that a rupture of lymphatics, in 

 consequence of strains, or the violent compression of neighbour- 

 ing muscles, has occasioned an effusion ; which being diffused 

 in the cellular texture, has produced considerable dropsy. 



It belongs to this head of causes, to remark, that there are 

 many instances of a rupture or erosion of the kidneys, ureters, 

 and bladder of urine ; whereby the urine has been poured into 

 the cavity of the abdomen, and produced an ascites. 



MDCLXII. Upon this subject, of the rupture of vessels 

 carrying, or of vesicles containing, watery fluids, I must observe, 

 that the dissection of dead bodies has often shown vesicles form- 

 ed upon the surface of many of the internal parts ; and it has 

 been supposed that the rupture of such vesicles, commonly 

 named Hydatides, together with their continuing to pour out 

 a watery fluid, has been frequently the cause of dropsy. I can- 

 not deny the possibility of such a cause, but suspect the mat- 

 ter must be explained in a different manner./ 



There have been frequently found, in almost every different 

 part of animal bodies, collections of spherical vesicles, contain- 

 ing a watery fluid ; and in many cases of supposed dropsy,- 

 particularly in those called the preternatural encysted dropsies, 

 the swelling has been entirely owing to a collection of such hy- 

 datides. Many conjectures have been formed with regard to 



