380 ^ Treatise on 
From a Deficiency of the nervous Juice or ani- 
mal Spirits, the Secretions and Excretions are leflen- 
ed, or wholly fupprefied *, which is particularly ob- 
fervable in the Liver and Kidneys. Moreover, the 
fame happens in thefe Bowels as in the Brain *, 
namely, by the Arteries diftended beyond Meafure, 
the excretory Vefiels of t Jr 3 Bile and Urine are com- 
prelfed, and the Excretion of thefe Humours is 
fiopt. The Perfpiration alone remains perfect after 
the taking of Opium, and even acquires Strength 
from it ; fince there are no fecretory Vefiels ap- 
pointed for Perfpiration : But the perfpirable Matter 
leeks to itfelf an Exit from all the Vefiels through 
the Pores of their Membranes •, and by Opium the 
Membranes are extended, and the Pores dilated. 
A Sweat likewife fometimes fucceeds, becaufe the 
fudoriferous Du£ts, being placed at the Extremi- 
ties of the Vefiels in the Skin, are not furrounded 
by fmall Arteries or other dilatable Vefiels, which 
by prefling upon them may hinder this Evacuation. 
Some Evacuations indeed, when fupprefied, are 
fometimes refiored by the Ufe of Opium ; to wit, 
if that Suppreflion arife from a violent Irritation of 
the nervous Membranes, fo that, by the continual 
and abundant Afflux of the animal Spirits, the 
Fibres are ftrongly drawn up and convulfed. This 
Afflux of the animal Spirits being reftrained or di- 
minifhed, the nervous Fibres are relaxed, and the 
fupprefied Evacuations are refiored, at leaft for fome 
Time. Thus the Flux of the Menfes and Lochia , 
the Exclufion of the Secundine, the Excretion of 
Stones from the Kidneys, a Purgation, Diurefis , or 
other Evacuations, are fometimes promoted by Opi- 
um : And after the fame Manner it ufually calms 
the fpafmodick Motions of hyfteric^l Womep, or 
of Hypochondriacks. 
