CLASS I. 2. 4. 6. OF IRRITATION. 109 



than to the acetous acid produced by fermenting aliment; be- 

 cause in violent apepsy, as in low fevers, and total want of di- 

 gestion, no such violently strong or painful acidity occurs. See 

 I. 3. 1. 3. See Anorexia II. 2. 2. 1. And secondly, because 

 in all these cases, which have come under my eye, the disease 

 was not increased by vegetable food, or even by acid fruits, when 

 taken in their usual quantity; and I have uniformly observed, 

 that the food which suited the palate, and that water alone, or 

 small wine and water, agreed with these patients better than 

 stronger mixtures of spirit and water, especially when they were 

 more agreeable to the palate. 



6. Arthritis Ventriculi. Sickness of the stomach in gouty 

 cases is frequently a consequence of the torpor or inflammation 

 of the liver, and then it continues many days or weeks. But 

 when the patient is seized with great pain at the stomach with 

 the sensation of coldness, which they have called an ice-bolt, 

 this is a primary affection of the stomach, and destroys the pa- 

 tient in a few hours, owing to the torpor or inaction of that viscus 

 so important to life. 



This primary gout of the stomach, as it is a torpor of that vis- 

 cus, is attended with sensation of coldness, and with real defect 

 of heat in that part, and may thence be distinguished from the 

 pain occasioned by the passage of a gall-stone into the duode- 

 num, as well as by the weak pulse, and cold extremities; to 

 which must be added, that it affects those only, who have been 

 long afflicted with the gout, and much debilitated by its nume- 

 rous attacks. 



M. M. Opium. Vinous spirit. Volatile alkali. Spice. 

 Warmth applied externally to the stomach by hot cloths or 

 fomentation. 



7. Colica flatulcntct. The flatulent cholic arises from the too 

 great distention of the bowels by air, and consequent pain. The 

 cause of this disease is the inactivity or want of sufficiently pow- 

 erful contraction of the coats of the bowel, to carry forwards the 

 gas given up by the fermenting aliment. It is without fever, arid 

 generally attended with cold extremities. 



It is distinguished, first, from the pain occasioned by the pas- 

 sage of a gall-stone, as that is felt at the pit of the stomach, and 

 this nearer the navel. Secondly, it is distinguished from the co- 

 lica saturnina, or colic from lead, as that arising from the torpor 

 of the liver, or of some other viscus, is attended with greater 

 coldness, and with an aching pain; whereas the flatulent colic 

 being owing to distention of the muscles of the bowel, the pain 

 is more acute, and the coldness less. Thirdly, it is distinguish- 

 ed from inflammation of the bowels, or ileus, as perpetual vomit- 



