AND ANIMAL LIFE. 451 



cumstances which will tend to stimulate and 

 relieve the vessels, whatever be their natural 

 functions ; and if these take upon themselves a 

 healthy action, the incipient tubercles, or mass 

 of pulmonary degeneration, will gradually dis- 

 appear. That state of the blood which promotes 

 a healthy secretion will also excite the absorb- 

 ents ; and it is probably the combination of those 

 two powers that dissipates the local and general 

 symptoms of consumption, The disease occa- 

 sionally becomes latent in its effects, or appa- 

 rently inactive : and whenever the exciting cause 

 is augmented or applied, we have then the usual 

 indications of derangement. The different means 

 employed may retard the farther progress of tu- 

 berculous accretion, but may not act to an ex- 

 tent sufficiently great to remove what has al- 

 ready been deposited. 



DL. Gentle exercise of every description, 

 and a sea voyage in particular, are recom- 

 mended in this affection, and have been found 

 more efficient in relieving or curing the symp- 

 toms than the exhibition of any internal medi- 

 cines, or external application. The manner in 

 which these influence the constitution is to be 

 explained only on the assumption that these 

 equalize the circulation, and improve the quali- 

 ties of the blood. In a sea voyage, vomiting is 

 not at all unfrequent ; and if the patient derives 

 any benefit from being several months upon the 



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