ART. IV. 2. i. i. SORBENTIA. 43 



rhubarb. They promote perfpiration, if the fkiu be kept warm; 

 as camomile tea, and teftaceous powders, have been ufed as 

 fudorifics. 



The preparations of antimony vomit, pir-ge, or fweat, either 

 according to the quantity exhibited, or as a part of what is giv- 

 en is evacuated. Thus a quarter of a grain of emetic tartar (if 

 well prepared) will produce a diaphorefis, if the fkin be kept 

 warm ; half a grain will promote a ftool or two firft, and fweat- 

 ing afterward ; and a grain will generally vomit, and then 

 purge, and laftly fweat the patient. In lefs quantity it is prob- 

 able, that this medictne afts like other metallic fairs, as fteel, 

 zinc, or copper in {mall dofes ; that is, that it Strengthens the 

 fyfiem by its ftimulus. As camomile and rhubarb in different 

 dofes vomit, or purge, or acl as (limulants fo as to (trengthen 

 the fyltem. 



Some of the medicines of this clafs of forbentia have been 

 termed tonics by fome authors, as giving due tone to the ani- 

 mal fibre. But it fhould be obferved, that tone is a mechanical 

 term, applicable only to mufical firings, and like bracing and re- 

 laxation, cannot be applied to animal life except metaphorically. 

 The /ame may be obferved of the word reaction, ufed by fome 

 modern authors, which in its proper figniiication is a mechani- 

 icai term inapplicable to the laws of life except metaphorically., 



II. OBSERVATIONS ON THE SORBENTIA. 



I. T. As there is great difference in the apparent flruc~lure 

 of the various glands, and of the fluids which they felecl from 

 the blood, thefe glands mtift pofTefs different kinds of irritabili- 

 ty, and are therefore ihmulated into ftronger or unnatural ac- 

 tions by different articles of the materia inedica, as {hewn in the 

 fecernertia. Now as the abforbent vefTels are likewife glands, 

 and drink up or felecl different fluids, as chyle, water, mucus, 

 with a part of every different fecretion, as a part of the bile, a 

 part of the faliva, a part of the urine, &c. it appears, that thefe 

 abforbent veffels muft likewife poflefs different kinds of irrita- 

 bility, and in confequence muft require different articles of the 

 materia medica to excite them into unufual action. This part 

 of the fubjeft: has been fo little attended to, that the candid 

 reader will find in this article a great deal to excufe. 



It was obferved that fome of the fecernemia did in a lefs de- 

 gree increafe abforption, from the combination of different prop- 

 erties in the fame vegetable body ; for the fame reafon fome of 

 the clafs of forbentia produce fecretion in a lefs degree, as thofe 

 bitters which have alfo an aroma in their compofition ; thefe 



are 



