I N F 



"With regard to the topical applications, tliefe we gc- 

 ■nerally cither cold aftringciit lotions, or clfc wsrm relaxing 

 emullients. Heat is well known to promote and incrcafe 

 all animal aftions, and mud therefore tend to keep up and 

 augment the procefs of inflammation. Hence arifes the 

 indication to dimir.ilh the licat of the part affeded, by mak- 

 ing ufe of cold topical applications, and maintaining a 

 continual evaporation from the inflamed furface. The com- 

 mon phn is to dip linen in the fati'.rnine lotion, and after folding 

 it once or twice, lay it all over the part affecled, taking care 

 afterwards to keep it conftantly wet with the application. In 

 fome inllances cold water will anfwer every purpofe ; in 

 others the aqua ammonioe acctatfe, or lotions of the fiilphate 

 of zinc, alnm, S:c. may be employed. Poultices made with 

 linfeed-meal and water, or with bread and milk, are the 

 ordinary emollient applications when fuch are conlidered 

 proper. Thofe of the firft kind are frequently preferable 

 to the latter, which are apt to turn four and acquire an 

 irritating quality, a circumftance of high importance where 

 tlic cuticle is detached, ulceration is prefent, or the pnrt is 

 exquifitely fenfible. When poultices are ufed, fomentations 

 are alfo frequently proper, as having in all fevere cafes a 

 great efFeft in leflening the pain. Likewife, when fup- 

 puration is unavoidable, they accelerate the cure by pro- 

 moting the formation of matter, and haftening its approach 

 to the furface of the body. The common method is to dip 

 flannels in a decoftion of chamomile flowers, or white poppy 

 heads, wring them, and apply them vt^ry warm to the in- 

 flamed part. 



In difcriminating the cafes which require cold applica- 

 tions from others to which warm ones are mod ferviceable, 

 the practitioner ftiould always bear in mind, that when 

 fuppuration is inevitable, it is invariably moil advantageous 

 to difcontinue ccld allringents without delay. In general, 

 where the chance of the inflammation being refolved is great, 

 cold applications are bell ; but Ibmetimes the choice of the 

 topical remedies mud be partly regulated by tlic patient's 

 feelings. There are fome patients who feem to derive moit 

 eafe from cold applications : there are others who appear 

 to experience moft comfort from cold ones. The latter 

 remedies ought perhaps rather to have the preference, when 

 the profpeft of preventing fuppuration is fair and rational, 

 and when at the fame time they afford as much eafe as 

 poultices. 



In technical language, hiflammation is faid to have dif- 

 ferent terminations. When the rednefs, fwelling, heat, and 

 pain, all gradually fiibfide, without any formation of matter, 

 the cafe ends in what is termed rcfolut'ioii, which is the molt 

 favourable event that can happen. 



In fome inftances, a change takes place in the adtion of 

 llie veflels of the inflamed part, and they alTume the power 

 of fecreting pus, or matter. Thus an abfcefs is formed, and 

 the cafe (furgically fpeaking) terminates in fuppuration 



In certain examples, ulceration is a direft confequence 

 of inflammation, but in general an abfcefs precedes the 

 fore. 



The lafl: termination of inflammation, to be noticed here, 

 is in morl'if cation, which is the word, but happily the leaft 

 frequent refult of common cafes. See Gangkene, Sup- 

 puration, &c. 



For an account of particular kinds of inflammation, fee 

 Ekysipelas, Anthkax,Carbukcxe, Furuxculus, Scro- 

 fula, LuKS Veneuea, &c. 



The inflammations of various parts of the body are alfo 

 treated of under diftinft heads. For inflammation of the 

 eye, fee Ofhthalmy ; for that of the parts about the 



INF ■ \ 



anus, fee Fistula in jino ; for that cf the dura mater, fee 

 Injuries of the Heed ; for that of the tellicle, fee Heunta 

 H'.in:oralis ; for ihr-t of the fingers, fee \ViilTLO-\V, &c. &c. 



Ikklawmation cfthe Bhicider See Cystitis. 



Inflammation- of the Bcwels. See Enteritis. 



Inflammation of the Brain See Piirenitis. 



Inflammation of the Diaphragm. See Paraphrekitis. 



Inflammation of th Ear. See Otalgia. 



Inflammation of the Eye. See Oi-hthalmy. 



Inflammation of the Heart See Carditis. 



Inflammation of the Kidneys. See Nephritis. 



Inflammation oflh. Liver. See Hepatitls. 



Inflammation of the Lungs. See Pleurisy, Peripneu- 

 MONY, and Catarrh. 



Inflammation of the Pericardium. See Pericarditis, 

 and Carditis. 



Inflammation of the Peritoneum. See Peritonitis. 



Inflam.mation of the Spleen. See Spleniti.s. 



Inflammation of the Stomach. See Gastritis. 



Inflam.mation of theTfles. See Heunia HumoraVts, 



Inflammation of the Throat. See Cynanciie. 



Inflam.mation of the Tonfils. See Cynanciie Torftllaris. 



Inflammation of the Womb. See Hysteritis. 



Inflammation, Spontaneous, ofeartliy matters, in Mining. 

 It 's a curious and important fact, that feveral pyritic and 

 bituminous thin ftrata which are found accompanying the 

 coal-feims in fome fituations, will, on being thrown out or 

 expofed to tlie air in the works, heat and take-fire. This 

 feems particularly the cafe in the thick coal-feaiii about 

 Dudley in Staff'ordfliire, as mentioned by Mr. Keirin Shaw's 

 Hillory of Stafibrdfliire. In difi'erent parts of Derbyfliire 

 there are alfo thin fl:rata of duns, tows, &c which thus in- 

 tumefce and t ike fire in the coal- works, as at Heanor, Derby- 

 hall and other pits, which are particularized by Mr. Farey 

 in his R'p rt on this county, vol. i. p. 348. 



INFLAMMATORY Disease.s, in M.dieine, are all 

 thife difeafes in which any part or organ of the body 13 

 affeded with inflammation, as above defcribed ; but thefe 

 terms, in the general acceptation, imply more particularly 

 thofe acute and fevere inflammations which excite a degree 

 of febrile commotion in the fyftcm. In addition to thofe 

 juft enumerated, with references, the gout, acute rheumatifm, 

 eryfipelas, &c may be included under the clafs of inflam- 

 matory difeafes, and, together with them, conllilute, in 

 fad, a diltind Order, in the fyfliem of our belt nofologift, 

 Dr. Cullen, under the title of Phlegmafne ; namely, the fe- 

 cond order, of the firft clafs, Pyrexia, or Feiri'h- difeafes. 

 See his Nofol. Method. 



We judge of the prefnce of an internal inflammatory 

 difeafe by the occurrence of the following congeries of' 

 fymptoms ; namely, when, together with a Itate of ^f-y^r, 

 there is a Ji.xed pain in any internal part, attended with fome 

 interruption in the exercife of its fun&icns. It is to be ob- 

 ferved, that the concurrence of all thefe fymptoms is necef- 

 fary to prove the exiftence of adive inflanmiation in any 

 organ, and that the occurrence of any one or two of them 

 may originate from other caufes than inflammation. Thus 

 pain may arile from a fpafmodic contradion of the mufcular 

 fibres of the part, and it may be moveable, and pais from 

 one part to another ; fever may arife with or without pain ; 

 and the fundions of an organ may be impeded without cither 

 pafei or fever. In none of thefe cafes are we to conclude 

 that adive inflammation is going on. We may illuftrate 

 this with refped to inflammation of the lungs, or perip- 

 neumony. This difeafe is known to be prefent, when, to- 

 gether with general fever (('. e. a frequent pulfc, hot fkin, 



thirft. 



