ART. IV. 2. 6. 3. SORBENTIA. 53 



oxyfms of intermittent fevers, and are thence cured by the fame 

 treatment, 



3. The jaundice is frequently caufed by the infipidity of the 

 bile, which does not (liumlate the gall-bladder and bile- duels in- 

 to their due a&ion -, hence it ftagnates in the gall-bladder, and 

 produces a kind of cryftallization, which is too large to pafs in- 

 to the inteftines, blocks up the bile-duft, and occaiions a long 

 n-ul painful difeafe. A paralyfis of the bile-ducl produces a 

 fnnilar jaundice, but without pain. 



4. Worms in (heep called flukes are owing to the dilute 

 (late of the bile ; hence they originate in the inteftines, and 

 thence migrate into the biliary dufts, and corroding the liver 

 produce ulcers, cough, and heftic fever, called the rot. In hu- 

 man bodies it is probable the inert (late of the bile is one caufe 

 of the production of worms ; which infipid ftate of the bile is 

 owing to deficient abforption of the thinner parts of it ; hence 

 the pale and bloated complexion, and f welled upper lip, of wormy 

 children, is owing to the concomitant deficiency of abforption 

 from the cellular membrane. Salt of fteel, or the rufl of it, or 

 filings of it, with bitters, increafe the acrimony of the bile by 

 promoting the abforption of its aqueous part ; and hence deftroy 

 worms, as well by their immediate a&ion on the inteftines, as 

 on the worms themfelves. The cure is facilitated by premifing 

 a purge with calomel. See Clafs I. 2.3. 9. 



5. The chlorofis is another difeafe owing to the deficient ac- 

 tion of the abforbents of the liver, and perhaps in fome degree 

 alfo to that of the fecretory veflels, or glands, which compofe 

 that vifcus. Of this the want of the catamenia, which is gen- 

 erally fuppofed to be a caufe, is only a fymptom or confequence. 

 In this complaint the bile is deficient perhaps in quantity, but 

 certainly in acrimony, the thinner parts not being abforbed from 

 it. Now as the bile is probably of great confequence in the pro- 

 cefs of making the blood ; it is on this account that the blood 

 is fo deftitute of red globules ; which is evinced by the great 

 palenefs of thefe patients. As this ferous blood mu!t exert lefs 

 ftimulus on the heart, and arteries, the pulfe in confequence 

 becomes quick as well as weak, as explained in Sect XII. i. 4. 



The quicknefs of the pulfe is frequently fo great and perma- 

 nent, that when attended by an accidental cough, the difeafe 

 may be miftaken for heftic fever ; but is cured by chalybeates, 

 and bitters exhibited twice a day ; with half a grain of opium, 

 and a grain of aloe every night ; and the expefted catamenia 

 appears in confequence of a reftoration of the due quantity of 

 red blood. This and the two former articles approach to the 

 difeafe termed -paralvfis of the liver; Seft. XXX. 4. 



