XL VI. The frequent congestions of the conglobate glands, depend on 

 the stagnation of the lymphatic fluid in their substance, and on the com- 

 parative weakness of the sides of the vessels in these parts. The influ- 

 ence of debilitating causes on the lymphatic system, acts most powerfully 

 on the glands, which are the weakest part of that system. In such cases, 

 the vessels which enter into the composition of the glands, act feebly, or 

 cease to act altogether; the fluids, of which there is a continual acces- 

 sion, accumulate; the most liquid part alone penetrates through the 

 glandular organ, the grosser particles remain, the humour thickens, har- 

 dens, and forms congestions of various kinds. If there is a tendency to 

 cancer, such tumours, at first indolent, become painful, the more inspis- 

 sated matter being, in a manner, out of the influence of the vital power, 

 since its vessels are in a state of complete atony, undergoes a sort of pu- 

 trid fermentation, the consequence of which is a destruction and erosion 

 of the cellular tissue, attended by inflammation of the skin and neigh- 

 bouring parts. The tumour becomes, an abcess, and discharges matter 

 rendered liquid by the process of fermentation, and so acrid and irrita- 

 ting, that it extends the affection towards all the parts with which it 

 comes in contact. 



The notions entertained hitherto on cancer, are, at once, deficient in 

 precision and accuracy: and it is to their fallacy, that we are to attribute 

 the number of contradictory opinions on the subject of its proper treat- 

 ment. Too precise a distinction cannot be laid down betw.een the can- 

 cerous or phagedenic ulcer; whose seat is always in the skin, or in the 

 mucous membranes (which being mere prolongation of the skin, retain 

 much of its structure,) and those cancers which affect the other parts of 

 the animal economy, especially the lymphatic glands, the testicles, and 

 the breasts. In the cancerous ulcers, peculiarly frequent in the face, the 

 lips, the tongue, in the inner coat of the stomach, of the rectum, and of 

 the uterus, the parts, affected with inflammation of a malignant kind, are 

 destroyed, without any means of checking the progress of that destruc- 

 tive action, the cause of action is easily conceived, while in true cancer, 

 the glandular tumefaction always precedes the cancerous diathesis. 

 As long as the affection consists merely in the obstruction of the vessels, 

 by indurated lymph, the tumour is indolent, and is yet only a schirrus ; 

 but soon all trace of organization is lost in the tumefied part, the rup- 

 tured vessels are lost in the mass of different substances; the process of 

 fermentation which takes place, converts every part into a greyish pulpy 

 substance, in which the most expert eye can discover no organization, 

 and no distinction of parts. Whenever this cancerous destruction of 

 parts occurs, whether the whole organ is affected, or whether the disease 

 extends only to a few points, extirpation is the only remedy to be em- 

 ployed; it is absolutely necessary, that a surgical operation should rid 

 the constitution of a part in which organization and life no longer exist. 



The lymphatic glands which swell in the vicinity of cancerous tumours, 

 have already received, by means of the absorbents, the destructive germ, 

 and must be removed, with the rest of the diseased part, that the opera- 

 tion may be attended with the greater prospect of success. It is very 

 true, that open cancers of the breast may, for a long time, discharge 

 putrid matter, without inducing a cancerous affection of the glands of 

 the axilla. But may not the discharge, in this case, act on the principle 

 of revulsion; and besides, what shall we oppose to experience, which 

 shows that these glands, if not removed along with the cancerous breast, 



