358 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



tumours in the vicinity of the ducts compressing 

 the parietes of those through which the bile flows. 



In chronic diseases of the liver, this organ is 

 enlarged and congested. In disorders of the ab- 

 domen, attended by fever, it is undoubted, that 

 the viscera are generally in a state of congestion ; 

 the augmented size of the liver is evident to the 

 hand : depressing passions have the tendency to 

 induce the same conditions. Observing that the 

 influence of fear is to engorge this organ, and, 

 whenever this is the case, that the surface of the 

 body loses its natural colour, I am disposed to 

 infer, that the congestion of the tissue does not 

 promote an increased secretion of bile, but pre- 

 vents its transmission to its ordinary receptacle, 

 thereby placing the bile under circumstances dif- 

 fering little from those in which itsjlow is arrest- 

 ed, either partially or generally, by foreign bodies or 

 organic alterations. 



In corroboration of this view, it may be re- 

 marked, that our treatment in such cases is cal- 

 culated to disburthen the overloaded vessels 

 of the liver ; and in proportion to the success of 

 these means is the disappearance of the peculiar 

 symptoms of jaundice. 



CCCCXXX. Diarrhoea is commonly an at- 

 tendant on fear ; and, as this disease is more fre- 

 quently the consequence of disordered secretion 

 than an augmentation of a natural action, I at- 

 tribute it in this instance to the presence of 



