SCROFULA. 



■efFeft in diminiftiing the fize of the f welling, or in producing 

 any other change of importance. The only d'fferenct' oc- 

 cafioned is the addition of little ulcerations, which lead to 

 iiniifes, and emit matter. 



A common abfccfs in a perfon of a fcrofulous conflitution 

 often exhibits appearances, which betray the dileafed Hate of 

 the fyllem. The matter firft fecreted is formed with extra- 

 ordinary rapidity ; the fwellmg is fomewhat more tranfpa- 

 rent ; the furface more fliining, and the colour of the tumour 

 more blue, than is obfervable in a cafe of healthy abfcefs. 

 Scrofulous abicelies alfo contain, before they hurfl, a larger 

 quantity of purulent matter, in relation to then- lize, than 

 common phlegmonic abfcefles. When abfcefles in fcrofulous 

 patients burll, an empty cavity is not left ; but there is feen a 

 mafs of cellular membrane apparently deprived of life. It 

 refembles wet cotton, and often feparates in the form of a 

 folid mafs. The feparation is effetled without pain. This 

 ilate of the cellular membrane bears fome remote analogv 

 to the death of the central parts in a carbuncle ; but it 

 differs from the latter difeafe by there being no malignity, 

 pain, nor danger. 



The bones of fcrofulous people partake of the general 

 difeafe in the conllitution ; they feem to contain a fmaller 

 proportion of the phofphate of lime, and a larger one of 

 gelatinous matter, than what exilts in the compofition of a 

 healthy bone. They are alfo exceedingly fufceptible of 

 morbid aClion. The particular changes, however, induced in 

 the bones by fcrofnla, will be noticed in the articles Spime, 

 Ciiriiature of, and White Swelling. 



With regard to fcrofulous ulcers, their margin is commonly 

 of a pale red or purplifh call, with a (hining furface ; the 

 edges in general thin ; and the furface of the lore funk fome- 

 what below the level of the furrounding parts. Thefe fores 

 are moftly attended but with a fmall degree of inflammation, 

 and little pain ; they are not very fenfible, and have no great 

 difpofition to (prcad. The matter difcharged from them is 

 vifcid, having very little colour, and often an offenfive fmell. 

 In confcquence of its vifcidity, it adheres to the furface of 

 the fore, and covers the granulations. It is to be obferved, 

 however, tliat fcrofulous ulcers fometimes affumc a more 

 malignant afpcft, having elevated indurated edges, and 

 fungous central granulations, accompanied with pain and an 

 ichorous difcharge. In thefe cafes, they may counterfeit 

 the appearance of cancerous ulcers ; but though the re- 

 femblance may be very impofing, we are in general able to 

 afcertain the real nature of the cafe, by tracing its hidory 

 from the commencement, and by infpcfting the red of the 

 patient's body with accuracy ; when the vefliges of former 

 fcrofulous fores, or other proofs of a fcrofulous conllitution, 

 offn manifeil theinfelves. 



Scrofulous fores often continue to difcharge for a long 

 while, with very little change of appearance. In time, 

 however, they begin to heal, and, for tiie molt part, dry up 

 altogether at laft, 'leaving a very ugly red irregular cicatrix, 

 upon which [Me flcin feldom recovers its natural look. 



In general, fcrofulous complaints are moll troublefome 

 in the Ipring, and get better towards the end of the fummer. 

 Rnlfcll on Scrofula. 



Scrofula has always been confidered as an hereditary dif- 

 eale. Many well-informed men have thought the applica- 

 tion of the term, hendhary, to fcrofula, and indeed to dil- 

 eafes in general, exceedingly wrong, becaufc the alfeilions in 

 queftion do not regularly defcend from parents to children, 

 and fometimes attack perlons, none of whole relations are 

 known to have had fuch difeafcs. That there is truth in 

 thefe arguments mull not be difputed. But it is at the fame 

 time certain, that the children of fcrofulous parents arc much 



more likely to be afFefted with fcrofula, than the offspring 

 of perfons who never have had any fymptoms of this 

 difeafe. The children of fcrofulous parents may, however, 

 remain during life free from every mark of the difeafe. 

 This fatt is not at all quellioned by fuch writers as employ 

 the term hereditary ; for the whole of their meaning is, that 

 fcrofulous parents more frequently have fcrofulous children, 

 than is the cafe with perfectly healthy parents. The ofF- 

 fpring of the former, however, are not certain of being 

 difeaied in this manner ; nor are the children of the latter 

 fure of not being fo. 



Scrofula is undoubtedly not a contagious difeafe, nor can 

 it be communicated by contadl, or even inoculation. Kor- 

 tum tried to transfer fcrofula from one perfon to another 

 by inoculation ; but although he took great pains to inferl 

 the matter completely, and repeated the experiment fre- 

 quently, yet all his attempts failed, as no difeafe was com- 

 municated to the perfon inoculated, nor even any very evi- 

 dent irritation excited at the place where the matter was 

 inferted. De Vitio Scrofulofo, p. 218. 



The proximate caufe of fcrofula is a fubjeft, concerning 

 which many conjedtures have been llarted ; but none that 

 appear to carry with them much probability. It is indeed 

 a quellion, that is at prefent not at all undcrflood. 



Of all occafional caufes, fays Mr. Rullell, climate is the 

 mod powerful. The extremes of heat and cold are equally 

 free from fcrofula. It prevails mod in thofe cUmates, where 

 the atmofphere is perpetually loaded with cold vapours ; 

 where the feafons are variable, and no weather deady. From 

 latitude 45° or 50°, to latitude 60°, is the principal climate 

 of fcrofula. The climate of Scotland, which is witliin 

 this range, is remarkable for the frequent occurrence of 

 fcrofulous complaints. When the temperature of the air is 

 jud above tlie freezing point, the cold is the mod difficult 

 to bear, on account of tlie great quantity of watery vapours 

 which float in the atmofphere. A greater degree of cold 

 condenfes the aqueous vajjours, and renders tlic air clear ; 

 a greater degree of heat difperfcs them. Accordingly, it 

 is an univerfal obfervatioii, both in tlie torrid and the frigid 

 zone, that perfe<Sliy dry air, whether produced by great 

 heat, or great cold, always brings the moll healthy wea- 

 tiier. Mr. Dobfon, in his account of the barmallan wind, 

 which blows on the coall of Africa, and is fo warm and drj- 

 as to accomplilh the crydallization of ])urc alk.ili, obferves, 

 that all endeniial difeafes get well during the blowing of this 

 wind. Mr. Graham, likewife, who was long governor of the 

 Hudlon's Bay fadlory, fituated on the eall coall of America, 

 about the 60th degree of north latitude, makes nearly a 

 fimilar obfervation with rcfpedl to intcnfe cold ; as he inva- 

 riably found, that the raw, cold, damp weather, when the 

 mercury in Fahrenheit's tiiermonietcr Hands between ^o and 

 40 degrees, was the mod intolerable to bear, and tlie moll 

 unfriendly to health. Now tliis (continues Mr. Ruilell) is 

 very nearly the winter weather of Scotland. Upon ihe 

 whole, therefore, we may lay it down as a general maxim, 

 that the greated degree of cold, which can be conjoined 

 with moidure, is the Hate of weather which tends mod to 

 favour the appearance of fcrofula. 



The long continuance of inclement weather increafes the 

 predifpofition to fcrofula ; and in perlons already lufhcicntly 

 prcdifpofed to tlie difeafe, any uncommon, though leinpo- 

 mry expolure to cold and wet, is often an exciting caufc of 

 an immediate attack. 



Every thing which weakens the conditntion, predil- 



pofes to fcrofula. Thus, breathing impure air, »nd living 



upon a fcanty allowance of unwliolcfomc iiidigedible food, 



promote the accefs of fcrofula. The fame may he faid of 



G 2 unclcanliiiefs ; 



