RETROGRADE ABSORBENTS. SECT. XXlX 4 



but to the bladder, or lower inteflines ; whence the 

 chyle, blood, and whole fyftem of glands, are rob- 

 bed of their proportion of humidity. 



8. There is a third fpecies of diabetes, in which 

 the urine is mucilaginous, and appears ropy in 

 pouring it from one veflel into another ; and will 

 fometimes coagulate over the fire. This difeafe 

 appears by intervals, and ceafes again, and feems 

 to be occafioned by a previous dropfy in fome part 

 of the body. When fuch a collection is reabforbed, 

 it is not always returned into the circulation ; but 

 the fame irritation that Stimulates one lymphatic 

 branch to reabforb the depofited fluid, inverts the 

 urinary branch, and pours it into the bladder, 

 Hence this mucilaginous diabetes is a cure, or the 

 confequence of a cure, of a worfe difeafe, rather 

 than a difeafe itfelf. 



Dr. Cotunnius gave half an ounce of cream of 

 tartar, every morning, to a patient, who had the 

 anafarca ; and he voided a great quantity of urine ; 

 a part of which, put over the fire, coagulated, on 

 the evaporation of half of it, fo as to look like the 

 jarhite of an egg. De Ifchiade Nervos. 



This kind of diabetes frequently precedes a 

 dropfy ; and has this remarkable circumilance at- 

 tending it, that it generally happens in the nighty 

 as during the recumbent ftate of the body, the fluid, 

 that was accumulated in the cellular membrane., 

 or in the lungs, is more readily abforbed, as it is 

 lefs impeded by its gravity. I have feen more than 

 one inftance of this difeafe. Mr. D. a man in the 

 decline of life, who had long accuftomed himfelf 

 to fpirituous liquor, had fwelled legs, and other 

 fymptoms of approaching anafarca j about once in 

 a week, or ten days, for feveral months, he was 

 feized, on going to bed, with great general uneafi- 

 nefs, which his attendants refembled to an hyfteric 

 fit $ and which terminated jp a great difeharge of 



vifcid 



