GLASS I. a. 3. i8L OF IRRITAtlON. 93 



and it thus removes one principal caufe of corpulency, which b 

 the loofenefs of the (kin. Secondly, he fliould omit one entire 

 meal, as fupper ; by this long abftinence from food the abforb- 

 ent fyftem will aft on the mucus and fat with greater energy. 

 Thirdly, he fliould drink as little as he can with eafe to his fen- 

 fations ; fmce, if the abforbents of the ftomach and bowels fup- 

 ply the blood with much, or perhaps too much, aqueous fluid, 

 the abforbents of the cellular membrane will aft with lefs ener- 

 gy. Fourthly, he fhould ufe much fait or falted meat, which 

 will increafe the perfpiration and make him thirfby ; and if he 

 bears this thirft, the abforption- of his fat will be greatly increaf- 

 ed, as appears in fevers and dropfies with thirft ; this I believe to 

 be more efficacious than foap. Fifthly, he may ufe aerated al- 

 kaline water for his drink, which may be fuppofed to render the 

 fat more fluid, or he may take foap in large quantities, whiclt 

 will be decompofed in- the ftomach. Sixthly, ihort reft, and 

 conftant exercife. 



Vinegar has been faid to reduce corpulency, but as it con- 

 tains much vinous fpirit, it may injure the general health with- 

 out previoufly inducing leannefs. Perhaps cryftals of tartar 

 might fucceed better ufed daily in water at meals. 



The moft efficacious method of reducing the quantity of the 

 fat I fufpeft may be by the life of the tincture of digitalis in 

 fmall quantity, as twenty or thirty drops twice a day, as direct - 

 ed in Article IV. 2. 3. 7. As the effect of this medicine, when 

 given in greater quantity, as in forty drops twice or thrice a day 

 in hydrothorax or general anafarca,evidently confifts in weaken- 

 ing the natural actions of the ftomach, perhaps by previoufly 

 ftimulating that vifcus too violently ; in confequence the heart 

 and arteries aft lefs powerfully from their fympathy with the 

 ftomach ; and the capillary vefTels, and abforbents, act more 

 powerfully in confequence of the lefs expenditure of fenforial 

 power by the inert action of the heart and arteries ; and will 

 confequently ablbrb the accumulated fat from the cellular mem- 

 brane, as explained in Supplement I. 12. 10. 



1 8. Splenis tumor. Swellings of the fpleen, or in its vicinity, 

 are frequently preceived by the hand in intermittents, which are 

 called Ague-cakes, and feem owing to a deficiency of abforption 

 in the affected part. 



Mr. Y , a young man about twenty-five years of age, 



who lived intemperately, was feized with an obftinate intermit- 

 tent, which had become a continued fever with ftrong pulfe, at- 

 tended with daily remiffion. A large hard tumour on the left 

 fide, on the region of the fpleen, but extending much more 

 downward, was fo diflinftly preceptible, that one feemed to get 



one s 



