362 RETROGRADE ABSORBENTS. SECT. XXIX. 



1. When any one drinks a moderate quantity of 

 vinous fpirit, the whole fyftem acts with more 

 energy by confent with the ftomach and inteftines, 

 as is feen from the glow on the fkin, and the increafe 

 of ftrength and activity ; but when a greater quan 

 tity of this inebriating material is drank, at the 

 fame time that the lafteals are excited into greater 

 action to abforb it ; it frequently happens, that the 

 urinary branch of abforbents, which is connected 

 with the lacteals by many anaftomofes, inverts its 

 motions, and a great quantity of pale unanimalized 

 urine is difcharged* By this wife contrivance too 

 much of an unneceffary fluid is prevented from 

 entering the circulationThis may be called the 

 drunken diabetes, to diftinguilh it from the other 

 temporary diabetes, which occur in hyfteric difea- 

 fes, and from continued fear or anxiety. 



2. If this idle ingurgitation of too much vinous 

 fpirit be daily practifed, the urinary branch of ab- 

 forbents at length gains an habit of inverting its 

 motions, whenever the la&eals are much ftimula- 

 ted ; and the whole or a great part of the chyle is 

 thus daily carried to the bladder without entering 

 the circulation, and the body becomes emaciated. 

 This is one kind of chronic diabetes^ and may be 

 diflinguifhed from the others by the tafte and ap- 

 pearance of the urine; which is fweet, and the 

 colour of whey, and may be termed the chylife- 

 tous diabetes. 



3 Many children have a fimilar difpofition of 

 chyle in their urine, from the irritation of worms in 

 their inteftines, which ftimulating the mouths of 

 the lafteals into unnatural a&ion, the urinary 

 branch of the abforbents becomes inverted, and 

 carries part of the chyle to the bladder ; part of the 

 chyle alfo has been carried to the iliac and lumber 

 'glands, of which inftances are recorded by Haller, 

 t. vii. 2 25. and which can be explained on no other 



theory ; 



