VOL. XXXVI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 417 



and therefore it is probable, that the difference of constitutions, at equal ages, 

 with respect to purgatives, depends more on the quantity and quality of the 

 bile than on the bulk or weight of the body, or quantity of the blood, or other 

 circulating humours. 



4. It. also appears that the nourishment and growth of the body in some 

 measure depend on a due quantity and proper quality of this juice, without 

 which the blood and circulating humours could not be recruited from the primae 

 viae; and therefore that defects in it may be frequently the cause of a marasmus 

 or waste of the body, where it is little suspected; which may serve to point out 

 the method of cure in such cases. 



5. This observation seems to lead to the knowledge of the immediate cause 

 of natural rest or sleep in a healthy state; viz. a certain quantity or proportion 

 of fresh chyle in the blood; the want of which, from whatever cause, will 

 occasion watchfulness, or some degree of it. And this may serve to point out 

 the immediate effect and consequences of opiates; whence may be gathered 

 how far, and in what cases they may be effectual and useful, and in what cir- 

 cumstances they may be ineffectual, useless, or hurtful. Which may deserve a 

 further illustration. 



6. That a due quantity of aliments, at proper intervals of time, is necessary 

 to keep the blood and humours in their natural temperature and sweetness, and 

 to preserve them from acrimony and putrefaction. And this will be true in all 

 distempers as well as in health, and is against the practice of such as pretend 

 to starve away distempers, or to deny a due quantity of drink and liquid food 

 to the sick, especially in fevers, where the want of this recruit will tend to 

 increase the acrimony or putrefaction, whence the malignity of most fevers 

 arise. 



7. That pus, or matter, in a wound or ulcer, is the product of chyle, and 

 not of the blood or serum, which has indeed been the received opinion, though 

 supported by no other proof than the similitude of pus to chyle. And as a 

 great redundancy, as well as a defect of pus, sometimes retards the cure of a 

 wound or ulcer, this may serve to show by what means it may be increased or 

 diminished, to answer the intentions of the artist. 



This also makes it appear probable, that a great redundancy of chyle disposes 

 the body to purulent, suppuratory, and scrophulous distempers; and seems to 

 indicate the denying such sort of food as afford a rich, gross, or plentiful chyle, 

 and the administering of such medicines as may strengthen sanguification, and 

 the other assimilating powers, to assimilate and so consume it; the sanguifi- 

 cation and assimilating powers being manifestly weak, as the chylification seems 

 to be strong in all such cases. And this seems to be the reason why in adults, 



VOL. vn. 3 H 



