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ON CATARRH. 3I5 



and Hamilton, whether in confequence of 

 thofe inflances, they would recommend fuch 

 pra61ice ? 



Dr. Darwin fays " the ufes of the perfpirable 

 matter are to keep the (Idn foft and pliant, 

 &c. — yet has this cutaneous mucus been be- 

 lieved by many to be an excrement ; and I 

 '' knovv^ not how many fanciful theories have 

 been built upon its fuppofed obftruftion. 

 Such as the origin of catarrhs, coughs, in- 

 " flammations," &c. He bbferves farther, 

 *•' that the ancient Grecians oiled themfelves 

 " all over, that fome nations have painted 

 *' themfelves all over, that the Hottentots fmear 

 themfelves all over with greafe, that many of 

 our own heads are at this day covered with 

 flour and fat, according to the tyranny of a 

 " filthy and wafteful fafhion, without this in- 

 convenience, and that there is a ftricl ana- 

 logy between the ufes of the perfpirable 

 '^ matter and the mucous fluids, which are 

 " poured, for feveral purpofes, upon all the 

 " internal membranes of the body." 



In anfwer to all this, it may be faid that it 

 is by no means material to the purpofe, whe- 

 ther the perfpirable fluid be excrementitious or 

 not, fince it is evinced by the confl:ant expe- 

 rience of the fenfes, that under certain circum- 

 ftances, and in certain degrees, cold will have 

 the invariable effe6l of clofing the cuticular 



pores. 



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