246 DISEASES CLASS II. i. 6". 7. 



fisemcptoe. Sec Clafs I. 2. i. 9. The remote eaufe of con- 

 fumption is ingenioufly afcribed by Dr. Beddoes to the hyper- 

 oxygenation of the blood, as mentioned Section XXVIII. 2. 



As the patients liable to confumption are of the inirritable 

 temperament, as appears by the large pupils of their eyes ; there 

 is reafon to believe, that the haemoptoe is immediately occafioned 

 by the deficient abforption of the blood at the extremities of the 

 bronchial vein ; and that one difficulty of healing the ulcers is 

 occafioned by the deficient abforption of the fluids effufed into 

 them. See Sett XXX. i. and 2" 



The difficulty of healing pulmonary ulcers may be owing, as 

 its remote caufe, to the inceflhnt motion of all the parts of the 

 lungs ; whence no fcab, or indurated mucus, can be formed fo 

 as to adhere on them. Whence thefe naked ulcers are perpet- 

 ually expofed to the action of the air on their furfaces, conver- 

 ting their mild purulent matter into a contagious ichor ; which 

 not only prevents them from healing, but by its action on their 

 circumferences, like the matter of itch or tinea, contributes to 

 fpread them wider. See the preceding article, and Seel. XXXIII. 

 2. 7. where the pulmonary phthifis is fuppofed to be infectious. 

 This acidifying principle is foun4 in all the metallic calces, 

 as in lapis calaminaris, which is a calciform ore of zinc ; 

 and in minium, which is a calx of lead ; two materials 

 which are powerful in healing excoriations and - ulcers, in a 

 fhort time, by their external application. How then does it 

 happen, that the oxygen in- the atmofphere fhould prevent pul- 

 monary ulcers from healing, and even induce them to fpread 

 wider ; and yet in its combination with metals, it (hould facili- 

 tate their healing ? The healing of ulcers confifts in promoting 

 the abforption of the fluids effufed into them, as treated of in 

 Section XXXIII. 3. 2. Oxygen in combination with metals, 

 when applied in certain quantity, produces this effect by its 

 ftimulus ; and the metallic oxydes not being decompofed by 

 their contact with animal matter, no new acid, or contagious 

 material, is produced. So that the combined oxygen, when ap- 

 plied to an ulcer, fimply I fuppofe promotes abforption in it, 

 like the application of other materials of the articles forbentia or 

 incitantia, if applied externally ; as opium, bark, alum. But 

 in the pulmonary ulcers, which cannot protect themfelves from 

 the air by forming a fcab, the uncombined oxygen of the atmof- 

 phere unites with the purulent matter, converting it into a con- 

 tagious ichor ; which by infection, not by erofion, enlarges 

 the ulcers, as in the itch or tinea ; which might hence, accor- 

 ding to Dr. Beddoes's ingenious theory of confumption, be in- 

 duced to heal, if expofed to an atrnofphere deprived of a part of its 



oxygen. 



