[ 4°4 ] 
blood, yet fo fiovvly that its progrefs may be obferved, 
efpecia!Iv if the pellicle be moved from time to 
time. Bat the blood that flows from the fainting 
animal is coagulated in an inflant, after it once 
begins! From this obfervation, that the difpofition 
of the blood to coagulate is increafed as the animal 
becomes weaker, we may draw an inference of fome 
ule with regard to the flopping of haemorrhages, viz. 
not to rouze the patient by flimulating medicines, or 
by motion, but to let that languor or faintnefs con- 
tinue, fince it is fo favourable for that purpofe ; and 
alfo, that the medicines likely to be of fervice in thole 
cafes, are fuch as cool the body, leffen the force of 
the circulation, and promote that languor or faint- 
nefs *. For in proprtion as thefe effedls are produced, 
the divided arteries become more capable of contrac- 
ting, and the blood more readily coagulates two 
* Befides giving ftimulants and cordials to counteract the faint- 
ing, it is a common pra&ice in many parts of England, to give 
women, who are flooding, confiderable quantities of port-wine,' 
on a fuppofition that it will do them fervice by its aftringency. 
But furely, from its increafing the force of the circulation, it 
mull be prejudicial in thofe cafes. Perhaps many of the 
remedies called ftyptics might be obje&ed to for the hme 
reafon. 
It has of late been proved by experiments, particularly by 
thofe of the ingenious Mr. Kirkland, that the larger arteries, 
when divided, contract fo as to flop the haemorrhage. But the 
large coagula which we fee in the orifices of the veflels of the 
uterus of thofe who die foon after delivery, and the flopping of 
haemorrhages where the blood-vefiels were ruptured on their lides 
and not entirely divided, makes me believe that contracting the 
•Speeding orifice is not the only method nature takes to flop an 
If 
