560 MANNER OF BLEEDING. MEASURE, [BOOK IV. 



the good effect of bleeding in strictly similar cases, 

 its inadequacy can effect no good whatever, nor 

 repetition amend the matter one tittle, but the con- 

 trary. So that he must be wrong either way. 



For, as was proved at the pages before referred to, 

 the disorders for which bleeding is found service- 

 able, depend less upon the quantity of blood that 

 may be in the system at the time of the attack, 

 than upon the construction or " state of the blood *," 

 and the degree of irritation that may exist in the 

 vessels that contain it; both which affections, or 

 causes of disease, are more frequently to be moved 

 by the manner of taking any given quantity than by 

 the actual weight, or rather the measure thereof. 

 If the blood, for example, be drawn from a small 

 orifice, no matter how rightly judged the quantity 

 may be, however consonant to the proportions 

 before prescribed at page 183, yet the irritation of 

 the blood-vessels, known by the rigid feel of the 

 artery, will not be reduced, nor the animal recover. 

 " He has been bled," is thrown in the face of the 

 doctor, " and is no better : we have even preserved 

 the blood." But the thing has not been performed 

 with requisite skill. Among other absurdities, the 

 operator will perceive the impropriety of permitting 

 the blood to escape upon the ground, and then 

 guessing at the quantity drawn ; than which no 

 practice can be more slovenly and fallacious. 



A measure should be provided, marked with 



* That is to say, the proportions of its then component parts, which 

 is mainly affected by disease. 



