ART. V. 2. 2. i. REVERTENTIA. 71 



Many of the above fymptoms are relieved by mufk, caftor, 

 the foetid gums, valerian, oleum animale, oil of amber, which 

 aft in the ufual dofe without heating the body. The pains, 

 which fometimes attend thefe conftitutions, are relieved by the 

 fecernentia, as eflential oils in common tooch-ach, and balfam of 

 Peru, in the flatulent cholic. But the incitantia, as opium, or 

 vinous fpirit, reclaim thefe morbid inverted motions with more 

 certainty than the foetids ; and remove the pains which attend 

 thefe conftitutions, with more certainty than the fecernentia 5 

 but if given in large dofes, a debility and return of the hyfteric 

 fymptoms occur, when the effect of the opium or alcohol ceafes. 

 Opiates and fcetids joined feem b< ft to anfwer the purpofe of 

 alleviating the prefent fymptoms ; and the forbentia, by ftimu- 

 lating the lymphatics and lafteals into continued adlion, prevent 

 a relapfe of their inverfion, as Peruvian bark, and the ruft of 

 iron. See Clafs I 3. i. 10. 



II. Vomiting confifts in the inverted order of the motions 

 of the ftomach and cefophagus ; and is alfo attended with the 

 inverted motions of a part of the duodenum, when bile is eject- 

 ed ; and of the lymphatics of the ftomach and fauces, when 

 naufea attends, and when much lymph is evacuated. Perma- 

 nent vomiting is for a time relieved by the incitantia, as opium 

 or alcohol ; but is liable to return when- their aclion ceafes. A 

 blifter on the back, or on the ftomach, is more efficacious for re- 

 ftraining vomiting by their ftimulating into adlion the external 

 fkin, and by fympathy affecling the membranes of the ftomach. 

 In fome fevers attended with inceflant vomiting Sydenham ad- 

 vifed the patient to put his head under the bed clothes, till a 

 fweat appeared on the fkin, as explained in Clafs IV. i. 1,3. 



In chronical vomiting I have obferved crude mercury of good 

 effect in the dofe of half an ounce twice a day. The vomitings, 

 or vain efforts to vomit, which fometimes attend hyfteric or ep- 

 ileptic patients, are frequently inftantly relieved for a time by 

 applying flour of multard-feed and water to the fmall of the 

 leg ; and removing it, as foon as the pain becomes considerable. 

 If Gnapifms lie on too long, efpecially in paralytic cafes, they are 

 liable to produce troublefome ulcers. A plafter or cataplafm, 

 with opium and camphor on the region of the ftomach, will 

 fometimes revert its retrograde motions. 



III. Violent catharfis, as in diarrhoea or dyfentery, is attend- 

 ed with inverted motions of the lymphatics of the inteilines, and 

 is generally owing to fome ftimulating material. This is coun- 

 teracted by plenty of mucilaginous liquids, as folutions of gum 

 arabic, or fmall chicken broth, to wafh away or dilute the ftim- 

 ulating material, which caufes the difeafe. And then by the ufe 



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