CLASS I. 2. 3. 18. OF IRRITATION. 95 



and it thus removes one principal cause of corpulency, which is 

 the looseness of the skin. Secondly, he should omit one entire 

 meal, as supper; by this long abstinence from food the absorbent 

 system will act on the mucus and fat with greater energy. 

 Thirdly, he should drink as little as he can with ease to his sen- 

 sations; since, if the absorbents of the stomach and bowels sup^ 

 ply the blood with much, or perhaps too much, aqueous fluid, 

 the absorbents of the cellular membrane will act with less energy. 

 Fourthly, he should use much salt or salted meat, which will 

 increase the perspiration and make him thirsty; and if he bears 

 this thirst, the absorption of his fat will be greatly increased, as 

 appears in fevers and dropsies with thirst; this I believe to be 

 more efficacious than soap. Fifthly, he may use aerated alka- 

 line water for his drink, which may be supposed to render the 

 fat more fluid, or he may take soap in large quantities, which 

 will be decomposed in the stomach. Sixthly, short rest, and 

 constant exercise. 



Vinegar has been said to reduce corpulency, but as it contains 

 much vinous spirit, it may injure the general health without pre- 

 viously inducing leanness. Perhaps crystals of tartar might suc- 

 ceed better used daily in water at meals. 



The most efficacious method of reducing the quantity of the 

 fat I suspect may be by the use of the tincture of digitalis in small 

 quantity, as twenty or thirty drops twice a day, as directed in 

 Article IV. 2. 3. 7. As the effect of this medicine, when given 

 in greater quantity, as in forty drops twice or thrice a day in hy- 

 drothorax or general anasarca, evidently consists in weakening 

 the natural actions of the stomach, perhaps by previously stimu- 

 lating that viscus too violently; in consequence the heart and 

 arteries act less powerfully from their sympathy with the stomach; 

 and the capillary vessels, and absorbents, act more powerfully in 

 consequence of the less expenditure of sensorial power by the 

 inert action of the heart and arteries; and will consequently ab- 

 sorb the accumulated fat from the cellular membrane, as explain- 

 ed in Supplement I. 12. 10. 



18. Splenis tumor. Swellings of the spleen, or in its vicinity, 

 are frequently perceived by the hand in intermittents, which are 

 called Ague-cakes, and seem owing to a deficiency of absorption 

 in the affected part. 



Mr. Y , a young man about twenty-five years of age, 



who lived intemperately, was seized with an obstinate intermit- 

 tent, which had become a continued fever with strong pulse, at- 

 tended with daily remission. A large hard tumour on the left 

 side, on the region of the spleen, but extending much more 

 downward, was so distinctly perceptible, that one seemed to get 



