16 DISEASES CLASSII. i.- 3 . ifc 



fons containing acid, as fublimate of mercury or arfenic ; or if 

 it be otherwife inflamed, or very fenfible to the ftimuius of the 

 gaftric acid j or where it abounds with acid of any kind, as in 

 cardialgia , the exhibition of fcap is perhaps a preferable man- 

 ner of giving alkali than any other, as it decompofes in the itom- 

 ach without effervefcencc ; while the cauftic alkali is too acrid to 

 be adminiftered in iuch cafes, and the mild alkali produces car- 

 bonic gas. If a drop of acid of vitriol be put on cap-paper, it 

 will be long before it deftroys the paper -, but if a drop of mild 

 alkali be added, a iudden effervefcence arifes, and the paper is 

 inftantly deilroyed by the efcape of the fixed air j in the fame 

 manner as lumps of folid lime are broken into powder by the ef- 

 cape of the fteam produced from the water, which is poured on 

 them. This (hews why a fucceffion of acid and of alkaline cauf-* 

 tics fooner deftroys a part, than either of them applied feparately. 

 1 8. Dyfenteria. Bloody-flux is attended with fenfitive fever, 

 generally with arterial debility ; with frequent mucous or bloody 

 ftools, which contain contagions matter produced by the mem- 

 branes of the inteftines ; the alimentary excrement being never- 

 thelefs, retained ; with griping pains, and tenefmus. 



Linneus obferved microfcopic animals in the ftools of dyfen- 

 teric patients, and concluded from thence that they were the 

 caufe of the difeafe ; in the fame manner the animalcula, feen 

 by microfcopes, in the puftules of the itch, have been fuppofed 

 to be the caufe of thofe eruptions. See Article IV. 2. i. 3. 

 Thefe animalcula are neverthelefs feet! in almoft all animal fluids 

 which have for a time ftagnated ; as in the femen, and in all 

 liquid evacuations from the inteftines, as aflerted by Buffon ; 

 who efteems them to be organized beings, though not perfect 

 animals, in his ingenious treatife on generation. Hiftoire Nat- 

 urel. 



M. M. Emetics. Antimonials. Peruvian bark. Opium 

 and calomel, of each a grain every night. Bolus armenire. 

 Earth of alum. Chalk. Calcined hartfhorn. Mucilage. Bee's 

 wax mixed with yolk of egg. Cerated glafs of antimony. 

 Warm bath. Flannel clothing next to the fkin. Large clyfters 

 with opium. With ipecacuanha, with fmoke of tobacco ? 

 Two dyfenteric patients in the fame ward, of the infirmary at 

 Edinburgh, quarrelled, and whipped each other xvith horfewhips 

 a long time, and were both much better after it, owing perhaps 

 to the exertion of fo much of the fenforial power of volition ; 

 which, like real infanity, added excitement to the whole fyftem. 

 The prevention of this contagion muft coniift principally in 

 ventilation and cleanlinefs ; hence the patients fhould be re- 

 moved into cottages diftant from each other, or into tents ; and 



their 



