456 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



rating regimen of our less genial climate, while 

 it fortifies the constitution against almost every 

 inclemency of the seasons, strengthens also the 

 same against the influence of remedial measures, 

 in the state of disease. There are, however, many 

 instances in which the continental practice with 

 regard to emetics may be adopted with advan- 

 tage. When the patient is naturally feeble, or 

 debilitated by a tedious plan of treatment, vo- 

 miting or nausea may enable us to arrest or re- 

 tard the progress of the disease. 



DLVII. In glancing at the following sub- 

 ject, increased action of the absorbents, there are 

 many difficulties to render the investigation in- 

 complete. Our anatomical knowledge of those 

 vessels which exhale or absorb any of the fluids 

 of the system is necessarily very imperfect, from 

 the minuteness of the objects ; and our acquaint- 

 ance with the laws by which they are regulated 

 is far from being satisfactory. The labours of 

 CRUICKSHANK, BAILLIE, PARRY, BLACKALL, 

 and AYRE, have of late years enabled us to make 

 important approximations towards a knowledge 

 of those conditions of the system which predis- 

 pose to, or occasion an accumulation of serum. 

 The weight of authority inclines to the opinion, 

 that the capillary vessels are in a state of conges- 

 tion or inflammation in those cases in which 

 dropsy is induced.* 



* Vide Chap. XXIII. $ I. Serous Membranes. CRAIGIE'S 

 Elements of General and Pathological Anatomy. 



