V O M 



V M 



the precious ftones are fubjeft. This is a diilky foulnefs 

 lying deep in the ftone, and giving a duflcy colour and tinge 

 to the whole. Both the luftre and trar.fparence of the ftone 

 are much hurt by this accident. When the vomica was of 

 a blueith or blackilTi colour, the Romans expreffed it by 

 the word plumbago. 



Vomica, in Medicine, an abfcefs, or colledion of purulent 

 matter in the fubftance of the lungs. Tiiis, like all other 

 abfcefles, is the refult of previous inflam-jiation in the part 

 which it occupies, and is, therefore, one of the terminations 

 of peripneumony, of which, in that cafe, it conftitutes 

 the laft ftage. (See Pekipneumony.) If a vomica burfts 

 through the exterior furface of the lungs, and the matter 

 confequently efcapes into the cavity of the thorax, the dif- 

 eafe is then called empyema. 



Vomica, Nux, Vomic Nut. See Nux Vomica. 



VOMIER, in Botany, Poiret in Lamarck Did. v. 8. 

 692, a French name, whofe derivation or meanmg we can- 

 not trace, applied by this author to our Eriostemon ; fee 

 that article. 



VOMIT, Black, in Medicine, an appellation given by 

 the firft writers on the difeafes of tropical climates to the 

 yelloiv fever, the moft formidable and fatal fymptom of 

 which is a vomiting of a black matter, confiftiiig of grumous 

 blood and bile. This fymptom, however early it appeared, 

 was generally foon followed by death, and being the moft 

 remarkable and diftreffing charafter of the difeafe, its name 

 was given to the whole fever : it is obferved, however, in 

 the bilious remittents of more northern latitudes, as of Spain 

 and Egypt, and was noticed by Hippocrates as a fatal 

 fymptom of the caujos, or ardent fever, endemic in his 

 time in the countries bordering on the Mediterranean. See 

 Fever, Yelloiu. 



VOMITING, in Animals, is the inverted adion of the 

 ftomach, or the aft of difcharging the contents of it by the 

 mouth. Of this tlie horfe is incapable or deprived, on ac- 

 count of a peculiarity of flrufture in the parts : but dogs, 

 cats, and other animals, vomit very readily, and are often 

 much benefited in this way, by the u(e of proper medicines, 

 in different difeafes with which they are affeAed. 



Vomiting, in Medicine, the aft of ejetting the contents 

 of the iiomach through the gullet and mouth, commonly 

 preceded by a fenfation of naujea. 



It has been a queftion much difculTed by phyfiologifts, 

 how the matters contained in the fac of the ftomach are thus 

 forcibly expelled in a retrograde direftion ? fome fuppofing 

 that this was effefted by the retrograde aftion of the muf- 

 cular coat of the ftomach itfelf, and others contending that 

 the aftion of the diaphragm and abdominal mufcles was the 

 principal force employed in the aft. This queftion has been 

 amply expounded, and the affirmative of the latter opinion 

 fhewn to be correft under the head of Stomach, to which 

 we refer the reader. 



Vomiting is not to be confidered as itfelf a diftinft fpecics 

 of difeafe, but merely as a fymptom of various morbid af- 

 feftions, either of the ftomach itfelf, or of fome other organ 

 of the body with which it is connefted by fympathy. As 

 a fymptom, however, which is always diftreffing, and often 

 very argent, it frequently becomes the objeft of medical 

 treatment, and it is therefore important to diftinguifti the 

 caufes from which it originates in different inftances, in 

 order that the appropriate remedies may be felefted. 



The firft fet of caufes of vomiting, to which we have 



alluded, are thofe which affeft the ftomach itfelf. There 



are various morbid conditions of that organ, or the irritation 



pf fubftanccs introduced into it. Thus vomiting is a fymp- 



7 



torn of inflammation of the coats of the ftomach (fee Gas- 

 TRiTis), which arc rendered fo irritable as to rejeft every 

 thing introduced within its cavity. A fcirrhous or can- 

 cerous ftate of the ftomach is alfo attended by vomiting, 

 efpecially when that difeafe diminifhes the aperture of the 

 pylorus, and prevents the paffage of the aliment into the in- 

 teftines. Vomiting is Ukewife often a fymptom oi dyfpep/ia, 

 or indigeftion, and is then occafioned either by the irritation 

 of undigefted food, or the acrimony of fluids generated 

 during the imperfeft procefs of digeftion : whence the mat- 

 ters vomited are often acid or acrimonious, irritating the 

 gullet and fauces as they pafs. Sometimes in thefe cafes 

 the vomiting is excited by the regurgitation of the bile, 

 when it is fuperabundant ; but moft commonly that fluid is 

 only vomited after repeated and fevere retchings, by which 

 the bile is brought into the ftomach from the upper intef- 

 tine. Vomiting is fometimes alfo a fymptom of the ftomach 

 colic, or cramp in that organ, in which cafe, as in the in- 

 flammation, it is accompanied by intenfe pain. 



The cure of the vomiting in thefe cafes will depend upon 

 the removal of the refpeftive difeafed conditions of the fto- 

 mach of which it is fymptomatic. In gaflritis, it can only 

 be removed by copious blood-letting, bliftering, or cupping 

 the region of the ftomach, or applying leeches ; for it is in 

 vain to attempt to introduce medicine into an inflamed fto- 

 mach ; and opium would, if it could be retained, aggravate 

 the original difeafe. In the cramp of the ftomach, on the 

 other hand, opium largely given, with hot fomentations, 

 would be the moft effeftual remedy. In cancer or fcirrhus, 

 alleviation of the ficknefs is all that can be exjjefted ; and 

 opium or hyofcyamus affords the beft means ef foothing that 

 malady. In a ftate of indigeftion, vomiting will be cured 

 by adhering to a light and digeftible diet ; by the ufe of ab- 

 forbents, fuch as magnefia or chalk, with light aromatics, 

 efpecially where the vomitings are acid ; and by whatever 

 ftrengthens the tone of the ftomach, and improves the di- 

 geftive fuuftion ; fuch as bitters, horfe -exercife, cold- 

 bath, &c. 



When vomiting is produced by fubftances taken into the 

 ftomach, and immediately irritating its fenfible furface, fuch 

 as the metallic or other poifons ; the obvious remedy will be 

 to get rid of the irritating fubftance, if poflible, to dilute 

 and weaken its acrimonious quality, or to change or decom- 

 pofe it by chemical means. In all fuch cafes, the copious 

 introduftion of tepid fluids fhould be immediately reforted 

 to. 



The fecond fet of caufes of vomiting, which we have 

 mentioned above, are thofe which influence the ftomach 

 only by fympathy, the aftual feat of the irritation being in 

 fome other, even diftant organ ; the varieties of the caufes 

 producing vomiting in this indireft way are, therefore, as 

 numerous as the iympathies of that important organ with 

 almoft every other organ in the body. 



Many affeftions of the head are attended with vomiting. 

 Vertigo, or giddinefs, from whatever caufe it originates, is 

 liable to induce naufea, and even that moft violent and dif- 

 treffing fpecies of vomiting, fea-ficknefs. ( See Vertigo. ) 

 Blows on the head, inflammation of the brain or its mem- 

 branes, fraftures and depreffions of the (kull, are almoft 

 conftantly produftive of vomiting ; which, in fuch cafes, 

 can of courfe only be relieved by removing the preffure or 

 curing the inflammation of the brain. 



With almoft every organ of the abdomen the ftomach 

 fympathifes fo clofely, that violent vomiting is the confe- 

 quence of irritations in moft of them. The kidneys are 

 feldom affisfted with difeafe, without producing ficknefs in 



the 



