238 



internal obstructions, neuralgia, insanity, and melancholia. 

 The diseases to which the lymphatic temperament pre- 

 disposes are generally of a chronic character, and of an 

 asthenic type, as debility, tuberculosis, scrofula, and dropsy; 

 and the bilious temperament tends to dyspeptic affections, 

 hypochondriasis, and hepatic derangements generally. The 

 temperaments are types of inherited physical and mental 

 constitution, and are generally "mixed" in different in- 

 dividuals, while one may predominate. That they predispose 

 to disease we have just seen. Idiosyncrasies, always 

 inherited, also predispose to disease, or may produce 

 insusceptibility. There can be no doubt that they depend 

 upon peculiarities of physical structure. They predispose 

 to certain morbid processes, as, for example, the specific or 

 exanthematous fevers. It may be an extraordinary immunity 

 that they reveal, or an incredible degree of susceptibility, 

 and they account for the various degrees in which different 

 individuals are affected by scarlet fever, small-pox, typhus 

 and typhoid fever, diphtheria, erysipelas, syphilis, carbuncle, 

 etc. " There are few of us without our idiosyncrasies, and 

 their variety is innumerable." 1 



The diatheses are of still greater importance, consisting as 

 they do of morbid proclivities existing in an individual or 

 family, in consequence of his or their heredity and environ- 

 ment ; or, still better, " of any condition of prolonged 

 peculiarity of health giving proclivity to definite forms of 

 disease." 2 I adopted the classification of Mr. Jonathan 

 Hutchinson because it is founded on a scientific basis, and 

 is in accord with the natural history of disease, and con- 

 sidered in detail the following varieties : The three universal 

 diatheses, viz. : the scrofulous or tubercular, the rheumatic, 

 1 Mr. Jonathan Hutchinson. 2 Ibid 



