276 CAUSES OF ITS INFLAMED [BOOK II. 



most lasting, if the remedies be delayed, or wholly 

 neglected. 



Having been led to enter somewhat at large into 

 the causes and remedies for certain affections of the 

 liver, while describing its structure and functions in 

 the first book, pages 146 to 152 we shall find less 

 occasion to add much more at this place. The 

 reader will of course turn to that page. 



Cause of inflamed liver. — Great heat of the 

 whole circulation, (vide page 173) ; also, inflamma- 

 tion of the proximate organs, as of the diaphragm, 

 to which the upper portion of the liver is strongly 

 attached, as well as of the kidneys, to which the 

 off-side thin portion of the liver is adjacent, com- 

 municate their baleful heat to this fine organ, and 

 an increased formation of bile is the immediate 

 consequence. The blood, in passing through the 

 liver, leaves behind, or else acquires a portion of 

 this extra heat, which reproduceth more at its next 

 passage through it, more at the next, and so on, 

 until the inflammation of the whole liver is com- 

 pletely effected. Increase of the bile or gall pro- 

 ceeds in the same ratio, until the gall duct, that 

 communicates with the small gut, is closed by the 

 uncommon heat of the inflammation, or by the 

 thickening of the gall, or by both operations united, 

 no matter whether. At any rate, the bile which 

 ought to be conveyed away by stool, is returned 

 into the system, and occasions yellow skin — whence 

 the vulgar name. When this occurs, we appre- 

 hend the inflammation lessens, but the communica- 



