PATHOLOGY. 53 



It is observable, that, by instinct, all animals 

 nibble oft* the navel-string of their young. Sow- 

 gelders, in castrating, draw out the spermatic 

 artery to a great length, and divide it with a 

 blunt knife ; yet, in neither of these cases, 

 do we see bleeding take place. When nature is 

 insufficient to stop bleeding, Ave must have re- 

 course to artificial means, such as styptics, liga- 

 tures, &c. 



Styptics are said to act in three ways. One is 

 by disposing the vefsels to contract ; the second, 

 by disposing the blood to coagulate ; and the third, 

 by coagulating the vefsels themselves. The first 

 of this clafs is preferable, when we may depend 

 upon its effects being permanent. Amongst these 

 may be ranked the spirits of wine, oil of turpen- 

 tine, the vitriolic and muriatic acids diluted, 

 alum, balsam traumatic ; oil of turpentine is, how- 

 ever, most preferable. Of the second clafs we 

 may mention the mild absorbent substances; as 

 flour, lint, bole ammoniac, sponge ; these, by 

 absorbing the thinner parts of the blood, prove 

 very useful. The third clafs are improperly called 

 Styptics, as they destroy the vefsels themselves, 

 and produce eschar. Of this clafs are all caustics, 

 blue vitriol, boiling oil of turpentine, &c. 



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