CLASS IV. i. 2. 16. OF ASSOCIATION, 389 



with much mucus, and previous griping pains, but without 

 vomiting ; and differs perhaps from dyfentery from its not be- 

 ing attended with bloody (tools, and not being infectious. 



Rheumatic inflammations, which I believe to arife from the 

 fympathy of the inflamed part with the torpor of fome diftant 

 part, may I think be certainly diftinguifhed from thofe inflam- 

 mations of the fame part, which have not arifen from fympathy 

 with the torpor of fome diftant part, but where the caufe of the 

 inflammation began in the part where the inflammation exifts, 

 by this circumftance ; that in rheumatic inflammation the hard 

 or (harp pulfe continues at about 1 1 8 in a minute after the pain 

 abates or ceafes. Whereas in the latter the inflammatory fever 

 ceafes along with the pain. 



In two cafes of pain of the fide, and difficult refpiration, 

 which I efteemed rheumatic, as the hard pulfe of 1 1 8 with fized 

 blood continued after repeated venefection, gentle cathartics, 

 and mild antimonials, I found ten drops of faturated tincture of 

 digitalis given every fix hours appear to produce great good ef- 

 fect, and to abate and remove the inflammatory diathefis in three 

 or four days. 



Hence when a fever has continued more than one lunar pe- 

 riod, attended with a hard or {harp pulfe of 1 1 8 or 1 20 in a 

 minute, and is not attended with cough or fymptoms of abforb- 

 ed matter, it may be efteemed of rheumatic origin, though no 

 local pain or inflammation at prefent exifts j and this with great- 

 er certainty, if pain had previoufly exilled : for no fevers, ex- 

 cept the hectic fevers from abforbed matter, and this attended 

 with inflammatory diathefis, and which may be called rheumat- 

 ic, ever properly extend, I believe, beyond one lunation ; though 

 fymptoms of debility may continue a while longer. This ob- 

 fervation is worth attending to in practice, as it diftinguimes 

 the kind of fever, in which when the bark is erroneoufly givrn, 

 it does no fervice 3 and in which I believe faturated tincture of 

 digitalis given as above to be the moil efficacious medicine. 



Rheumatifmtts fuppurans. There is another kind of rheuma- 

 tifm attended with debility> which fuppurates, and mould be 

 termed rheumatiimus fuppurans. It is generally believed to be 

 the gout, till fuppuration takes place on the (Welled joint 5 and, 

 as the patient finks, there are Houghs formed over the whole 

 mouth ; and he ieems to be deftroyed by inflammation or gan- 

 grene of the mucous membranes. I nave twice feen this dif- 

 eafe in patients about fixty. Some other difcafes are crroneouf- 

 Jy called rheumatic, as hemicraaia, and odontalgia. See Sect. 

 XV1. 3. 



M. M. In the three former kinds venefe&ion repeatedly. Ca- 

 thartics, 



