M2 
MEDICINE. 
dyne and mucilaginous clysters. Blisters on 
tlie pained part. 
Genus VII!. Enteritis, inflammation of the 
bowel;; lined and distressing pain in the 
bowels. Pyrexia ; pulse always quick, some- 
times hard. 
Causes. The same as of ga-tritis. Likewise 
strangulated hernia, spasmodic colic, intror 
su seeption. 
M. AI. The same as in gastritis after the 
urgent symptoms have subsided. Small 
doses of calomel and opium. 
Genus IX. Hepatitis, inflammation of the 
liver. 
Symptoms. Pain in the region of the liver, 
.'extending to the clavicle and top of the right 
shoulder ; difficulty of lying, on the left side 
especially. Pyrexia; high-coloured urine; 
pulse frequent, strong, and often hard. Bi- 
lious evacuations, or jaundice. The ten- 
dency of the disease is to suppuration. 
.]/. AI. Copious and repeated bleeding, 
before the suppurative process has com- 
menced. Calomel, and cathartics of the re- 
frigerant class. Digitalis in considerable 
doses. Blisters to the region of the liver. 
If suppuration takes place, the matter 
makes its way through the lungs, or the intes- 
tinal canal, into the cavity of the abdomen, or 
through the peritoneum to the surface. Dur- 
ing this process opium and bark. 
N. B. The disease above described is 
principally an affection of warm climates. A 
species of chronic hepatitis is more usual in 
Britain, and indeed is one of our most com- 
mon maladies, especially among dram-drink- 
ers. 
Symptoms. Obtuse and weighty kind of 
sensation in the region of the liver; difficulty 
of lying on the left side; pain in the right 
shoulder ; the countenance slightly marked 
by hectic ; dejection of spirits. (Edema of 
the ancles. 
M. M. Small doses of calomel, with, or 
without, opium. Tonic bitters, such as quas- 
sia, or gentian. An abstinence from spiri- 
tuous liquors. 
Genus X. Splenitis, inflammation of the 
spl eetn 
Symptoms. Tension ; tumor ; heat of the 
left side ; pyrexia ; pain increased by pres- 
sure. 
AI. M. Blisters, cathartics, calomel, and 
digitalis. 
Genus XI. Nephritis, inflammation of the 
kidneys. 
Symptoms. Pyrexia ; pain in the lumbar 
regions ; retraction of the testicle; numbness 
of the thigh; vomiting; costiveness. 
Causes. Aternations of heat and cold ; ex- 
terna! violence, Ac. as in other inflammations, 
but chiefly calculi. 
Distinctions. Nephritis is distinguished 
from lumbago by the more cohfined situation, 
and pungent character of the pain ; by the 
presence of pyrexia; and by there being in 
the latter no retraction of the testicle, or 
numbness of the thigh. It is distinguished 
from incipient psoas abscess, by the pain of 
this last b/tng principally seated in the verte- 
bral column ; by such pain being increased 
on pressure of this part ; and by its taking 
the course of the psoas muscle. See Sur- 
gery. 
M. M. Venesection. Digitalis, and opium. 
Nitrous ether. Emollient clysters. Castor 
oil. Demulcents. 
Genus XII. Cystitis. Inflammation of the 
bladder. 
Pyrexia. Pain and tumor above the pu- 
bes ; pain in discharging urine ; tenesmus. 
M. M. Venesection. Warm bath. Ano- 
dyne clysters. Diluents. 
Genus XIII. Hysteritis. Inflammation of 
the womb. 
Ileat, pain, tension, and swelling in the 
lower bellv ; pyrexia; vomiting. 
M.M. ’Venesection. Mucilaginous clys- 
ters, with opiates. Anodyne fomentations. 
Genus XIV. Rheumutismus. 
Pyrexia ; pains in the joints, frequently ex- 
tending along the muscles ; heat and tumor 
on the part. 
Peculiarities. Rheumatic- inflammations 
never, like others, terminate in suppuration. 
Dr. Darwin attributes this circumstance to 
the secondary and associate nature ot the 
disease; the original cause, like that ot the 
gout, not being in the inflamed part ; and 
therefore not continuing to act after the in- 
flammation commences. Perhaps the pecu- 
liarity would be more properly referred to 
the nature of the parts that rheumatism at- 
tacks. 
Dili -don. Rheumatism is sthenic, or asthe- 
nic : the latter, or chronic rheumatism, often 
succeeds to the former : which the author 
just quoted refers to the deposit. on of mucus, 
or coagulable lymph, which the inflamed 
vessels had poured out in the first stages, re- 
maining unabsorbed on the membranes of the 
joints. It would probably be more correctly 
attributed to the loss of energy in the parts 
affected : an opinion which appears to receive 
support from the circumstance ol the asthenic 
form of the complaint sometimes coming on 
in a direct way, without the intervention of 
the acute species. 
M. -I/. Bleeding would appear to be indi- 
cated in the sthenic kind of rheumatism : in 
this disorder, however, the physician is so 
often unexpectedly foiled by the rapid occur- 
rence of indirect debility, that venesection is 
almost never advisable ; it lays the founda- 
tion lor obstinate chronic complaint. Leeches 
to tire inflamed joints. Volatile embrocations 
alter the inflammation has in some measure 
subsided. Calomel, and opium. Sudorilics. 
Warm bath. (< I have found digitalis an ex- 
cellent remedy in inflammatory rheumatism, 
one of the most tedious and intractable ot all 
diseases.” Dr. Currie. 
Peruvian bark in chronic rheumatism. Vo- 
latile tincture of gum guaiacum. Flesh-brush. 
Sea-bathing. Electricity. Bath waters. 
Genus XV. Odontalgia, tooth-ache. See 
Surgery. 
Genus XVI. Podagra, gout. 
Symptoms. Pain in the joints, principally 
of the great toe, and *■ pecially ol the hands 
and feet, returning at intervals. Previously 
to the accession of the inflammation the func- 
tions of tire stomach are generally disturbed. 
The fits generally come on in the morning. 
Causes and peculiarities. Gout is inva- 
riably a disease of the asthenic diathesis. It 
is produced in a system predisposed to its 
influence by the indirectly debilitating pow- 
ers ; such as a too liberal indulgence in fer- 
mented ami spirituous liquors, high -seasoned 
meats, &c. and likewise by the directly debi- 
litating powers of vegetable and watery food, 
depressing passions, &c The inflammation 
of this disease often alternates with, and ap- 
pears in a manner vicarious of, torpor in other 
parts of the system ; as of the brain produ- 
cing apoplexy, the stomach constituting dys- 
pepsy, and of the liver giving ri e to jaundice : 
all which symptoms indeed may be considered 
as part of the disease. On this account gout 
has been divided into the atonic ; that i , 
where a disposition to the inflammation of the 
foot is observable, but does not actually take 
place; the retrocedent, where, after the con- 
tinuance for some time of such inflammation, 
it shall seem to be transferred to another 
part, and thus form a gouty inflammation of 
the stomach, or other organs; and, lastly, 
the misplaced, in which the gouty tendency, 
instead of displaying itself in its ordinary 
course, falls upon some other organs, as th& 
lungs, the stomach, or the brain. 
Dr. Darwin supposes “ the original seat of 
the gout to be the liver, which is probably 
affected with torpor not only previous to 
the annual paroxysms, but to every change 
of its situation from one limb to another’.” 
For this principle of associate action there 
does not, however, appear sufficient support } 
and indeed the sympathy is displayed with 
more force and frequency between the in- 
flamed foot and the organs we have above- 
mentioned (the stomach, the lungs, and the 
brain), than the hepatic viscus. it is indeed 
the nervous system, and not the glandular, 
with which the paroxysm of the gout appears 
to have the most intimate connection ; and it 
would hare found a more appropriate place 
under the head of nervous diseases, than 
where it now stands in the Nosology. It is, 
however, very often combined witli talculary 
disorders. '1 he predisposition to gout is evi- 
dently hereditary ; but the attacks of this 
malady may, in general, be warded off, even 
from the most susceptible habit, by a tempe- 
rate mode of living. f i his principle is illus- 
trated in an extraordinary manner by the his- 
tory of Dr. Gregory, the present professor of 
the practice of medicine in Edinburgh. We 
have often hearr) him in his lectures produce 
his own as an instructive case of the beneficial 
effects of abstinence from fermented and spi- 
rituous liquors. Gout has been imagined, 
like fever, to be a sanative process of natures 
for the purpose of expelling something from 
the constitution. The doctrine, in either in- 
stance, is equally erroneous. 
AI. AI. in treating gout it should never be 
forgotten that it is an asthenic disease : 
while excitement is kept up in the system the 
paroxysms are suspended. Dr. Beddoes, in 
his liygeia, says, that one of the greatest 
martyrs to gout he ever met with informed 
him, “ that his freest year was that of a 
warmly contested election, at which he was 
candidate for a county. lie both drank and| 
exerted himself at this time more than at any® 
period of his life.” This evident principle of 
the asthenic nature, even of the .iCtnal inflam- 
mation in gout, ought to render the physician 
extremely careful in his application of the re- 
medy lately introduced into practice, the ap-j 
pli ation of cold water to the inflamed part. 
In some violent cases this may be proper ; but 
it should never be extended beyond tlie limit 
of pleasurable sensation. To bleed is like- 
wise hazardous in tlie extreme. Dr, Brown’s 
mode ot suspending the paroxysms basal- 
ready been referred to; and every arthritic] 
experiences temporary benefit from his din- 
ner, his glass, and pleasurable company. It 
