[ 3*7 3 X 
Thefe Powers mention'd do fuiiiciently account for 
the Diftention of the Abdomen in an Afcites y of the 
Womb in Geftation, of the Bladder in a morbid or 
voluntary Retention of Urine j alfo of morbid Im- 
poftems or Tumors, and of the Gall-Bladder in the 
Cafe before us. 
But this Diftention could never have happen'd, with- 
out a total or partial Obftrudion of the excretory Dud, 
th z'fDuUtus cyfticus . 
Had this Obftrudion been at once total, as when a 
Calculus is thrown fuddcnly out of the Cyfiis into the 
Dud, and flops it totally, he muft have had the Jaun- 
dice immediately, or very foon after : For, notwith- 
ftanding the ftrong Powers above-mention'd, it would 
have been impoffible for the Sides of the Cyfiis to have 
yielded to fuch a fudden Dilatation, no more than the 
Womb in the firft Week of Geftation, can be dilated 
to the Pitch it is brought to in the Ninth Month, with- 
out a Rupture : So that the Dilatation here muft have 
been very flow and gradual, and therefore the Obftruc- 
tion muft have been at firft, and probably for many 
Years, only partial j and the Gall-Bladder thus flowly 
diftended, gradually yielded and gave way only for the 
Reception of the Excefs of the Secretion beyond the 
Excretion, and fo prevented the jaundice, or Regurgi- 
tation of the Bile into the Blood. 
This partial Obftrudion of the cyftic Dud may 
probably have been occafion'd by one of thole final! 
loft ineyfted Tumors, lodged between the Membranes 
of the Cyjiis fellea, near the Origin of its excretbrv 
Dud, containing a foft white pultaceous Matter, with 
Calculus s or chalky Concretions in its Centre. If 
this was the Cafe, it is conceivable that while the Con- 
T t 2 tents 
