ART. IV. 2. 9. 5. SORBENTIA. 61 



5. To thefe (hould be added ele&ric fparks and (hocks, 

 which promote the abforption of the veflels in inflamed eyes of 

 fcrofulous children ; and difperfe,or bring to fuppuration, fcrof- 

 ulous tumours about the neck. For this laft purpoie fmart 

 (hocks fhould be pafTed through the tumours only, by ericlofmg 

 them between two brafs knobs communicating with the external 

 and internal coating of a charged phial. See Art. II. 2. 2. 2. 



X. i. Bandages increafe abforption, if they are made to fit 

 nicely on the part ; for which purpofe it is neceffary to fpread 

 fome moderately adhefive plafter on the bandage, and to cut it 

 into tails, or into (breads two inches wide ; the ends are to be 

 wrapped over each other ; and it mud be applied when the part 

 is leaft tumid, as in the morning before the patient rifes, if on 

 the lower extremities. The emplaflrum de minio made to cov- 

 er the whole of a f welled leg in this manner, whether the fweil- 

 ing is hard, which is ufually termed-fcorbutic ; or more eafily 

 compreiTible, as in anafarca, reduces the limb in two or three 

 days to its natural fize ; for this purpofe I have fometimes ufed 

 carpenter's glue, mixed with one twentieth part of honey to 

 prevent its becoming too hard, inftead of a refmous plafter ; but 

 the minium plafter of the (hops is in general to be preferred, 

 Nothing fo much facilitates the cure of ulcers in the legs, as 

 covering the whole limb from the toes to the knee with fuch a 

 plafter bandage , which increafes the power of abforption in the 

 furface of the fore. 



2. The lymph is carried along the abforbent veflels, which are 

 replete with valves, by the intermitted preflure of the arteries in 

 their neighbourhood. Now if the external (kin of the limb be lax, 

 it rifes, and gives way to the preflure of the arteries at every pul- 

 fation ; and thence the lymphatic veffels are fubject to the pref- 

 fure of but half the arterial force. But when the external fkin 

 is tightened by the furrounding bandage, and thence is not ele- 

 vated by the arterial diaftole, the whole of this power is exerted 

 in comprefling the lymphatic veflels, and carrying on the lymph 

 already abforbed ; and thence the abforbent power is fo amaz- 

 ingly increafed by bandage nicely applied. Pains are fomeiimes 

 left in the flefhy parts of the thighs or arms, after the inflamma- 

 tion is gone, in the acute rheumatifm, or after the patient is too 

 weak for further evacuation , in this cafe after internal abforbent 

 medicines, as the bark, and opiates, have been ufed in vain, I 

 have fuccefsfully applied a plafter-bandage, as above defcribed, 

 fo as to comprefs the pained part. 



Since the above was written, Mr. Baynton, an ingenious fur- 

 geon of Briftol, has publifhed " A Method of Treating Ulcers 

 of the Legs," fold by Robinfon, London. In which he endeav- 

 ours 



