SECT. XXIX. 7. 6. ABSORBENTS. 



fays) and if in this patient the urine had been reabforbed into 

 the mafs of blood, as the bile in the jaundice, why was it not de- 

 teled in other parts of the body, as well as in the arm-pits ? 



6. Cathartic and vermifuge medicines applied externally to 

 the abdomen, feem to be taken up by the cutaneous branch of 

 lymphatics, and poured on the inteftines by the retrograde mo- 

 tions of the lafteals without having pafled the circulation. 



For when the draftic purges are taken by the mouth, they ex- 

 cite the la&eals of the inteftines into retrograde motions, as ap- 

 pears from the chyle, which is found coagulated among the fae- 

 ces, as was (hewn above, (fe&. 2 and 4.) And as the cutaneous 

 lymphatics are joined with the lacteals of the inteftines, by fre- 

 quent anaftomofes ; it would be more extraordinary, when a 

 ftrong purging drug, abforbed by the ikin, is carried to the anaf- 

 tomofing branches of the lacleals unchanged, if it fhould not 

 excite them into retrograde aclion as efficacioufly, as if it was 

 taken by the mouth, and mixed with the food of the ftomach. 



VIII. Circumjlances by which the Fluids^ that are effnfed by the 

 Retrograde Motions of the Abforbent Vejfels y are dijHnguiJhed* 



i. WE frequently obferve an unufual quantity of mucus or 

 other fluids in fome difeafes, although the action of the glands, 

 by which thofe fluids are feparated from the blood, is not un- 

 uiually increafed ; but when the power of abforption alone isdi- 

 minifhed. Thus the catarrhal humour from the noftrils of 

 fome who ride in frofty weather ; and the tears which run 

 down the cheeks of thofe, who have an obfiru&ion of the punc- 

 ta lacrymalia ; and the ichor of thofe phagedenic ulcers, which 

 are not attended with inflammation, are all inftancesof this ch> 

 cumftance. 



Thefe fluids however are eafily diftinguiihed from others by 

 their abounding in ammoniacal or muriatic falts ; whence they 

 inflame the circumjacent (kin : thus in the catarrh the upper lip 

 becomes red and i welled from the acrimony of the mucus, and 

 patients complain of the faltnefs of its tafte. The eyes and 

 cheeks are red with the corrofive tears, and the ichor of fome 

 herpetic eruptions erodes far and wide the contiguous parts, and 

 ispungently fait to thetafte, us fome patients have informed me, 



Whilft, on the contrary, thofe fluids, which are efFufed by 

 the retrograde aclion of the lymphatics, are for the molt part 

 mild and innocent ; as water, chyle, and the natural mucus : 

 or they take their properties from the materials previouily ab- 

 forbed, as in the coloured or vinous urine, or chat fcented with 

 afparagus, defcribed before. 



VOL. I. I, i, 2. Whenever 



