CLASS I. 2. 1. 6, OP IRRITATION. 55 



the former, because patients with diseased livers are more sub- 

 ject to paralytic complaints in general, as to hemiphlegia, and to 

 dropsy, which is a paralysis of the lymphatics; and the latter is 

 probably owing to the delay of the circulation in the vena por- 

 ta by the torpor of this hepatic vessel, when the liver is not 

 much enlarged; and to its pressure on the vena cava, when it is 

 much enlarged. 



I have seen two elderly men, and one middle aged woman, all 

 of whom had drunk too much fermented or spirituous liquors, 

 and had been for some months gradually sinking, were seized 

 with a ceaseless haemorrhage from their mouths, and from every 

 part of the skin, where they happened to scratch themselves, 

 which continued some days till they died. See Sect. XXVII. 2. 



M. M. Vitriolic acid, opium, steel, bark. Sponge bound on 

 the part. Steel dissolved in spirit of wine externally. Flour. 



6. H&morrhois crmnta. In the bleeding piles the capillary 

 vessels of the rectum become distended and painful from the de- 

 fect of the venous absorption of the part, and at length burst; or 

 the mucous glands are so dilated as to give a passage to the 

 blood; it is said to observe lunar periods. 



M. M. Venesection, poultices, cathartics, spice, cold bath, 

 and sorbentia. External compression by applying lint, sponge, 

 or cotton. Internal compression by applying a bit of candle 

 smeared with mercurial ointment. Strangulate the tumid piles 

 with a silk string. Cut them off. See Sect. XXVII. 2. 



Mrs. had for twelve or fifteen years, at intervals of a 



year or less, a bleeding from the rectum without pain; which 

 however stopped spontaneously after she became weakened, or 

 by the use of injections of brandy and water. Lately the bleed- 

 ing continued above two months, in the quantity of many ounces 

 a day, till she became pale and feeble to an alarming degree. 

 Injections of solutions of lead, of bark and salt of steel, and of 

 turpentine, with some internal astringents, and opiates, wercftised 

 in vain. An injection of the smoke of tobacco, with ten grains 

 of opium mixed with the tobacco, was used, but without effect 

 the two first times on account of the imperfection of the machine; 

 on the third time it produced great sickness and vertigo, and near- 

 ly a fainting fit; from which time the blood entirely stopped. 

 Was this owing to a fungous excrescence in the rectum; or to a 

 blood-vessel being burst from the difficulty of the blood passing 

 through the vena porta from some hepatic obstruction, and which 

 had continued to bleed so, Jong? Was it stopped at last by the 

 fainting fit? or by the stimulus of the tobacco? 



7. Hazmorrhagia renum. Haemorrhage from the kidneys, 

 when attended with no pain, is owing to defect of venous absorp- 



