236 DISEASES CLASS 11. 1. 5. 6 



of it, many bad symptoms are produced; as weakness of diges- 

 tion, with pale bloated countenance, and tendency to dropsy. I 

 have twice seen St. Vitus's dance occur, from the use of a mer- 

 curial girdle; and once a swelled liver. I have also seen a swelled 

 spleen and swelled legs from the external use of arsenic in the 

 cure of the itch. And very numerous and large phlegmons com- 

 monly succeed the too hasty cure of it by other means. 



There does not appear a strict analogy between the hasty cure 

 of the itch, and the retrocession of the pustules in the secondary 

 fever of the small-pox; because in that the absorption of the 

 matter is evinced by the swelling of the face and hands, as 

 the pustules recede, as explained in Class II. 1. 3. 9. Variola 

 discreta. And a fever is produced by this absorption; neither of 

 which happen, when the pustules of the itch are destroyed by 

 mercury or arsenic. 



Nor can these inconveniences, which occur on the too hasty 

 cure of the itch, be explained by those which follow the cure of 

 some kinds of gutta rosea, Class II. 1.4. 6. as in those the erup- 

 tions on the face were an associated disease with inflammation 

 of the liver or stomach, which they were accustomed to relieve; 

 whereas the itch is not known to have had any previous catena- 

 tion with other diseases. 



In the itch there exists not only great irritation in the produc- 

 tion of the pustules, but great sensation is caused by their acri- 

 mony afterwards; insomuch that the pain of itching without the 

 interrupted smarting occasioned by scratching, would be intole- 

 rable. This great excitement of the two sensorial powers of 

 irritation and sensation is so great, when the pustules are diffused 

 over the whole surface of the body, that a torpor succeeds the 

 sudden ceasing of it; which affects those parts of the system 

 which were most catenated with the new motions of the skin, 

 as the stomach, whence indigestion and flatulency; or which 

 are generally most liable to fall into torpor, as the numerous 

 glands, which form the liver. Whence the diseases consequent 

 to the hasty cure of the itch are diseases of debility, as tumid vis- 

 cera, oedematous swellings, and St. Vitus's dance, which is a 

 debility of association. In the same manner indigestion, with 

 green evacuations, are said to follow an injudicious application 

 of cerussa to stop too hastily the exsudation behind the ears of 

 children, Class I. I. 2. 9. And dropsies are liable to succeed 

 the cure of cold ulcers of the legs, which have long stimulated 

 the system. 



M. M. The size of a large pea, of an ointment consisting of 

 one part of white precipitate of mercury, to six parts of hog's 

 lard well triturated together, to be rubbed on a part of the body 



