CLASS I. 3. 2. 4. OF IRRITATION. 141 



ously feels a fulness about the prsecordia, with difficult respira- 

 tion*, and symptoms similar to those of hysteria. Perhaps a pre- 

 vious defect of absorption takes place in some part of the body in 

 those hysteric cases, which are relieved by a copious discharge of 

 pale urine. See Diabetes explained at large, Section XXIX. 4. 



A discharge of blood sometimes attends the diabetes, which 

 was occasionally a symptom of that disease in Mr. Brindley, the 

 great navigable canal maker in this country. Which may be 

 accounted for by the communication of a lymphatic branch with 

 the gastric branch of the vena portarum, as discovered by J. F. 

 Meckel. See Section XXVII. 2. 



M. M. Alum. Earth of alum. Cantharides. Calomel. Bark. 

 Steel. Resin. Opium. See Sect. XXIX. 4. 



Since the publication of the first edition of this work, I have 

 seen two patients affected with diabetes, who were both of them 

 between sixty and seventy years old, and had formerly lived ra- 

 ther freely, though very temperately latterly for many years. The 

 water they made had not been accurately measured or evaporat- 

 ed; but one of them observed that his terrier bitch lapped his 

 urine in large quantities, and preferred it much to common wa- 

 ter; whence he concluded, it must contain some nutritious matter. 



They both complained of thirst, and had drunk two or three 

 times as much as usual, during the time they had been affected 

 with the diabetes; which was about four months in one, and 

 about three in the other. As I esteemed these cases to be ow- 

 ing to the patient's swallowing more fluid than could be so has- 

 tily taken into the circulation, and that therefore a part of it was 

 cc.'veyedto the bladder by the retrograde action of the lympha- 

 tics, as in the beginning of intoxication; I prevailed on them to 

 drink no more than their usual quantity, or less; and both these 

 rnild cases of diabetes ceased immediately by this simple treat- 

 ment of them. 



A similar event seems to have existed in the two cases of dia- 

 betes first published by Dr. Rollo; on those days the patients 

 drank but little, the quantity of urine was not more than natural. 

 Both from these cases, and from others related by Dr. Rollo, it 

 appears, that when the patient lived on animal food, less saccha- 

 rine matter was detected in the urine, and also that the quantity 

 of the urine abated; the former of these circumstances is readily 

 accounted for, as vegetable materials are probably more copi- 

 ously convertible into sugar, either chemically or by the power 

 of digestion, than animal materials; and the latter seems proba- 

 bly owing to the patients drinking less in quantity, when they 

 were restrained from beer and milk, and were allowed only 

 broth in their stead. 



