9S DISEASES GLASS I. 2. 3. 21', 



kind, as the variolous and venereal matter, when abforbed in a 

 wound, produce this torpor, and confequent inflammation of 

 thofe lymphatic glands, where they firft arrive, as in the axilla 

 and groin. There is reafon to fufpeft, that the tonftls frequent- 

 ly become inflamed, and fuppurate from the matter abibrbed 

 from carious teeth ; and I faw a young lady, who had both the 

 axillary glands fwelled, and which fuppurated j which was believ- 

 ed to nave been caufed by her wearing a pair of new green gloves 

 for one day, when me had perfpired much, and was much ex- 

 haufted and fatigued by walking , the gloves were probably dyed 

 in a folution of verdker. 



Thefe indolent tumours of the lymphatic glands, which con- 

 ftitute the fcrofula, originate from the inirritability of thole 

 glands ; which therefore fooner fall into torpor after having 

 been ftimulated too violently by fome poifonous material ; as 

 the mufcles of enfeebled people fooner become fatigued, and 

 ceafe to aft, when exerted, than thofe of ftronger ones. On the 

 fame account thefe fcrofulous glands are much longer in acquir- 

 ing increafe of motion, after having been ftimulated into inac- 

 tivity, and either remain years in a fiate of indolence, or fup- 

 purate with difficulty, and fometirnes only partially. 



The difference between fcrofulous tumours, and thofe before 

 defcribed, confifts in this ; that in thofe either glands of differ- 

 ent kinds were difeafed, or the mouths only of the lymphatic 

 glands were become torpid ; whereas in fcrofula the conglobate 

 glands themfelves become tumid, and generally fuppurate after 

 a great length of time, when they acquire new fenfibility. 

 See Sea. XXXIX. 4. 5. 



Thefe indolent tumours may be brought to fuppurate fome- 

 times by paffing electric {hocks through them every day for two 

 or three weeks, as I have witnefled. It is probable, that the al- 

 ternate application of fnow or iced water to them, till they be- 

 come painfully cold, an^l then of warm flannel or warm watery 

 frequently repeated, might reftore their irritability by accumula- 

 tion of fenfoml power ; and thence either facilitate their difper- 

 fioii, or occafion them to fuppurate. See Clafs II. i. 4. 13. 



This difeafe is very frequent amongft the children of the poor in 

 large towns, who are in general ill fed, ill lodged, and ill clothed ; 

 and who are further weakened by eating much fait with their 

 fcanty meal of infipid vegetable food, which is feldom of better 

 quality than water gruel, with a little coarfe bread in it. See 

 diarrhoea of infants, Clafs I. I. 2. 5. Scrofulous ulcers are 

 difficult to heal, which is owing to the deficiency, of abforption 

 on their pale and flabby furfaces, and to the general inirritability 

 of the fyftem. See Clafs I. i. 3. 13. 



M. M. Plentiful 



