SECT. XXIX. 4. RETROGRADE ABSORBENTS. 361 



dryed, and ignited, (hewed evident marks of the 

 prefence of nitre, when the flame was blown out. 



IV. Tie Phenomena of the Diabetes explained, and of 

 fome Diarrhoeas. 



THE phenomena of many difeafes are only ex- 

 plicable from the retrograde motions of fome of the 

 branches of the lymphatic fyftem ; as the great and 

 immediate flow of pale urine in the beginning of 

 drunkennefs ; in hyfteric paroxyfms ; from being 

 expofed to cold air ; or to the influence of fear or 

 anxiety. 



Before we endeavour to illuftrate this doctrine, 

 by defcribing the phenomena of thefe difeafes, we 

 muft premife one circumftance ; that all the 

 branches of the lymphatic fyftem have a certain 

 fympathy with each other, infomuch that when one 

 branch is ftimulated into unufual kinds or quan- 

 tities of motion, fome other branch has its motions 

 either increafed, or decreafed, or inverted at the 

 fame time. This kind of fympathy can only be 

 proved by the concurrent teftimony of numerous 

 facts, which will be related in the courfe of the 

 work. 1 (hall only add here, that it is probable, 

 that this fympathy does not depend on any commu- 

 nication of nervous filaments, but on habit ; owing 

 to the various branches of this fyftem having fre- 

 quently been ftimulated into action at the fame 

 time. 



There are a thoufand inftances of involuntary 

 motions aflbciated in this manner ; as in the a& of 

 vomiting, while the motions of the ftomach and 

 cefophagus are inverted, the pulfations of the arte- 

 rial fyftem by a certain fympathy become weaker ; 

 and when the bowels or kidneys are ftimulated by 

 poifon, a ftone, or inflamation, into more violent 

 adion ; the ftomach and cefophagus by fympathy in- 

 vert their motions. 



I. When 



