454 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



beneficial effects are to be attributed to the for- 

 mer or to the latter, as it is seldom that we have 

 either of these consequences independent of the 

 other. In 1824 and 1825 1 attended to the prac- 

 tice of LJENNEC, at the Hospital of La Charite', 

 during which time he treated inflammation of 

 the lungs principally by nauseating doses of tar- 

 tar emetic, and certainly with success. In the 

 greater number of the cases, slight vomiting was 

 also occasioned. 



DLIV. Inflammation of the pulmonary pa- 

 renchyma differs little in its stages from the same 

 process in every other viscus of the system. The 

 blood-vessels, in the first instance, are more than 

 usually stimulated ; but, subsequently, the in- 

 creased action diminishes, and the vessels are en- 

 gorged. These two important stages are better 

 illustrated by pneumonia than by any other 

 affection with which I am acquainted. The rale 

 crepitant is the distinguishing characteristic of 

 the incipient symptoms ; and it is not improba- 

 ble that this peculiar sound arises from the aug- 

 mented impetus of the blood, its greater quan- 

 tity, and some slight obstruction to its course. 

 When the disease passes from this condition into 

 that in which some part of the delicate texture 

 of the lungs has become impervious to the air, 

 the circulation is considerably impeded, and the 

 vessels are ultimately congested, giving to the 

 chest a dull sound on percussion. 



