MEDICINE. 



25 



Prictk*. unique example of a remedy being introduced into 

 ^Y""^ practice under an empirical form, which maintained iu 

 reputation after it* composition had been detected ; 

 for we seem to be in possession of the most unequivocal 

 evidence of its power, both in preventing and remov- 

 ing the gouty paroxysm. Sometime* the salutary ef- 

 nsues without any sensible operation, but gene- 

 rally the benefit is more apparent, and there is sup- 

 posed to be leas danger of any deleterious action on the 

 vital powers, when tome kind of evacuation ha* taken 

 place. Case* have occurred, in which, by giving the 

 medicine in too large a quantity, or in an improper 

 state of the system, it appears to nave produced almost 

 the immediatf destruction of life ; but by using the 

 proper precautions, we conceive that the colchicum 

 may be administered with safety and advantage. 



SKT. IV. CorAewr. ScrefUa. 



Serafola. In the order of the Cachexi* we shall find some of 

 the mart formidable diseases which attack the him an 

 , both from the extent of the mischief which the) 

 and the little power which our rtnedie* 

 over then. The first that we shall notice is 

 a, to which, a* indicating its pre-eminently bant- 

 ful influence, the name of nu baa been popularly ap- 

 plied. The tern scrofula has, we think, Iwtn used in 

 too vague a manner, so a* to include a variety of ano- 

 malous affect MOS. which have IfttW ^MHM H iMHi either in 

 their seat, their symptoms, or their termination. We 

 conceive that it ought to be restricted primarily to an 

 sJecliiiii of the absorbent glands, producing, in the 



" . ^^ 



thafa 



i, afterwards a 

 in which they are no longer abb to 



1 function* ; and, lastly, an ulceration, 



attended with a peculiar train of symptoms, w 

 fcaently distinguish it from all other iniamni 

 faction*. Scrofula i* a disease which eapsciall 



k . r.,r,l 



which are 



rat 



i especially attack* 

 certain constitution* or habits of body ; the subjects of 

 it are generally person* of fair skins and smooth com. 

 pkxions, and _ fraqsMOtry posMas gnat delicacy of fcel. 

 mg and brilliancy of 

 lu* been termed the i 

 invasion i* during childhood; it is* 

 the period of puberty ; and after the adult age, if the 

 franc can bear up to long against its ravages, k gradu- 

 ally decline*. It usually makes its first ajipaatance in 

 the gland* of the neck, where it 



that are very difficult to 



productive of no mconvcnMncf , except tuc un 

 ch they leave behind them. It baa 

 opposed that the discharge f 



ulcers is favourable to the general health, by giving 

 vent, as it were, to some humour, which otherwise 

 might produce nor* dangerous consequences, by af- 

 fecting some vital organ ; but this opinion we are dis- 

 posed to regard as derived from a false theory, and as 

 not sanctioned by experience. Other glandular part* 

 are, however, often affected, which are more concerned 

 in the exercise of the vital functions, of which those of 

 the mesentery, or other parts more immediately con. 

 netted with the vital organs are the moat important. 

 When these become the subjects of Scrofula, they prove 

 destructive to health, by preventing the due supply of 

 chyle, and induce a species of atrophy or tabes, w h ., h 

 is characterised by a hard and tumid abdomen, and by 

 the extreme TTrffmtMifi of the face 

 is odcr this form that Scrofula proves fatal. 



TOL. XIV. PABT I. 



It is now generally agreed that it U not a contagious Practice. 

 disease ; that it is endemic in those countries which .'""y' 

 have a damp antl colil atmosphere ; that its exciting " Cllln *" 



* l j* * CslllSCfa 



rtnit is improper food, impure air, want of exercise, 

 and a deficiency of clothing ; anil that these causes 

 act the most powerfully upon the individuals who are 

 predisposed by an hereditary taint, or by previous 

 weakness, but from the influence of which probably no 

 one U entirely exempt. We have stated Scrofula to 

 consist essentially in a disease of the absorbent gland-. 

 and we believe that, in every instance, it* commence, 

 ment may be traced to an affection of these organ*, but 

 it frequently happen* that in the progress of the com- 

 plaint, glands of other descriptions become diseased, 

 and even parts which are not glandular; two of the 

 most frequent of these varieties are certain affections of 

 the eyes and of the bone*. How far these should be 

 strictly called Scrofula, or whether they might not, with 

 more propriety, be considered a* distinct diseases 

 brought into action by Scrofula, i* a question we shall 

 not now discus*. The same remark applies to the 

 lungs, the glands of which likewise frequently become 

 'in Scrofula, i 



of the 



and give rise to the fatal disease of 

 but this affection is one of so much 

 importance, and U characterized by so many peculiar 

 symptoms, that whatever nay be our opinion respecting 

 it* nosological character, we must make it the subject 

 of a distinct section. 



Many hypotheses have been formed respecting the Proximate 

 proximate causss of Scrofula, but we are disposed to cauac. 

 think, that they have thrown no real light either upon 

 its nature or it* treatment ; indeed, with respect to the 

 nastsjin. we conceive that the doctrines of 

 ral pathology, which taught that Scrofula 

 upon a morbific matter existing in the blood, 

 which was to be corrected or removed by rigid absti- 

 nence, or by a long continued course of purgative roe- 

 dicmes, was often productive of serious injury. In- Treatment. 

 deed the management of Scrofula, although so frequent- 

 ly an object of the greatfat interest to practitioners, is 

 a point concerning which the art of medicine has yet 

 made but little advance, and respecting which we are 

 still left in a state of great ignorance and uncertainty. 

 It is indeed sufficiently ascertained that our great ob- 

 ject must be to improve the general health, and every 

 one will see the pi'uuiiety of carefully removing the 

 it cause where it can be ascertained, but beyond 

 this we fear we have little upon which we can build 

 with the least degree of confidence. Whether it be the 

 cause or the effect of the scrofulous disposition, a de. 

 ranged state of the alimentary canal is a usual attendant 

 upon the i" 

 found a 

 variety, 



torpor of the bowel* often makes it necessary for us to 

 employ the most powerful drastics. The weakness of 

 all the vital powers, which characterizes the scrofulous 

 constitution, suggests the employ ment of tonics ; and 

 they have accordingly, under some form or other, ge- 

 nerally made a part of every plan that ha* been pro* 

 pused for the cure of the disease ; but the peculiar din- 

 position to inflammation which belong* to the sanguine 

 temperament, and the liability which local inflamma- 

 tion has, in those predisposed to it, to assume the 

 scrofulous aspect, always renders their employment 

 critical. This remark applies particularly to cinchona 

 and iron, which, under various forms, have been long 

 prescribed as the grand remedies for this complaint, 

 but which, although they may be beneficial in certain 

 n 



t ha* upon the diseasi, ae that purgatives will be frequently 

 these found a necessary part of our treatment ; and in that 

 iving variety, where the mesentery is peculiarly affected, the 



