52 SORBENTIA. ART. IV. 2. 5. 3 



is faid fometimes to cure intermitrents, perhaps when their feat 

 is in the inteftines, when other remedies have failed. It is ufe- 

 ful in the diabetes, by exciting the abforbents of the bladder in- 

 to their natural adion ; and combined with refm is efteemed 

 in the fluor albus, and in gleets. Lime-ftone or chalk, and 

 probably gypfum, poflefs effefts in fome degree fimilar, and in* 

 creafe the abforption of the inteftines ; and thus in certain do- 

 fes reftrain fome diarrhoeas, but in greater dofes alum I fup- 

 pofe will aft as a cathartic. Five or ten grains produce coniti* 

 pation, 20 or 30 grains are either emetic or cathartic. 



3. Earth of alum, tobacco-pipe clay, marl, Armenian bole, 

 lime, crab's eyes or claws, and calcined hartihorn, or bone a(h- 

 es, reftrain fluxes ; either mechanically by fupplying fomething 

 like mucilage, or oil, or rollers to abate the friftion of the ali- 

 ment over inflamed membranes j or by increafing their abforp- 

 tion. The two laft confift of calcareous earth united to phof- 

 phoric acid, and the Armenian bole and marl may contain iron. 

 By the confent between the inteftines and the fkin 20 grains of 

 Armenian bole given at going into bed to heftic patients will 

 frequently check their tendency to fweat as well as to purge, 

 and the more certainly if joined with one grain of opium. 



VI. i. Abforption from the liver, flomach, and other vifcera. 

 When inflammations of the liver are fubdued to a certain de- 

 gree by venefeclion, with calomel and other gentle purges, fo 

 that the arterial energy becomes weaked, four or eight grains 

 of iron filings, or of fait of fteel, with the Peruvian bark, have 

 wonderful effecl: in curing the cough, and reftoring the liver to 

 its ufual fize and fanity j which it feems to effecl: by increafing 

 the abforption of this vifcus. The fame I fuppofe happens in 

 rcfpeft to the tumours of other vifcera, as of the fpleen, or pan- 

 creas, fome of which are frequently enlarged in agues. 



2. Haemorrhages from the nofe, reclum, kidneys, uterus, and 

 other parts, are frequently attendant on difeafed livers ; the 

 blood being impeded in the vena portarum from the decreafed 

 power of abforption, and in confequence of the increafed fize of 

 this vifcus. Thefe haemorrhages after venefeft ion, and a mer- 

 curial cathartic, are mod certainly reftrained by fteel alone, or 

 joined with an opiate ; which increafe the abforption and di 

 minifti the fize of the liver. 



Chalybeates may alfo reftrain thefe haemorrhages by their 

 promoting venous abforption, though they exert their principal 

 effecl: upon the liver. Hence alfo opiates, and bitters, and vit- 

 riolic acid are advantageoufly ufed along with them. It mud 

 be added that fome haemorrhages recur by periods like the par- 



oxyfms 



