404 PARALYSIS OF THE LIVER. SECT. XXX. r. 



peas, after having given fix grains of calomel in the 

 evening, and four ounces of oil of almonds or olives 

 on the fucceeding morning. I have alfo given half 

 a pint of good olive or almond oil as an emetic 

 during the painful fit, and repeated it in half an 

 hour, if the firft clid not operate, with frequent good 

 cffea. 



4. Another difeafe of the liver, which I have 

 feveral times obferved, confifts in the inability or 

 paralyfis of the fecretory .veifels. This aifeafe has 

 generally the fame eaufe as the preceding one, the 

 too frequent potation of fpirituous liquors, or the 

 too fudden omiflion of them, after the habit is con- 

 firmed ; as is greater or lefs in proportion, as the 

 whole or a part of the liver is affected, and as the 

 inability or paralyfis u more or lefs complete. 



This palfy of the liver is known from thefe fymp- 

 torm, the patients have generally pafled the meridian 

 of life, have drank fermented liquors daily, but 

 perhaps not been opprobrious drunkards ; they lofe 

 their appetite, then their flefh and ftrength dimi- 

 nifh in confequence, there appears no bile in their 

 flools, nor in their urine, nor is any hardnefs or 

 fwelling perceptible on the region of the liver. But 

 what is peculiar to this difeafe, and diftinguifhes it 

 from all others at the firft glance of the eye, is the 

 bombycinous colour of the {kin, which, like that 

 of full-grown iilkworms, has a degree of tranfpa- 

 rency with a yellow tint not greater than is natural 

 to the ferum of the blood. 



Mr. C. and Mr. B. both very ftrong men, be- 

 tween 50 and 60 years of ige, who had drank ale 

 at their meals inftead of fmail beer, but were not 

 reputed hard drinkers, fuddenly became weak, loft 

 their appetite, flefh and fbength, with all the fymp- 

 toms above enumerated, and died in about two 

 months from the beginning of their malady. Mr. 

 C. became anaiarcous a few days before his death, 



and. 



