MEDICINE. 
separated, either swims on the mixture, or 
forms large flocci in it ; whereas the pus 
falls to the bottom, and forms, on agitation, 
an uniform turbid mixture. 3. Pus is dif- 
fusible through a diluted sulphuric acid, 
though mucus is not ; the same occurs with 
Water, or a solution of the muriate of soda. 
4. Nitrous acid dissolves both pus and mu- 
cus ; water, added to the solution of pus, 
produces a precipitate, and the fluid above 
becomes clear and green, while water and 
the solution of niucus form a dirty-colour-, 
cd fluid. 5. Alkaline lixivium dissolves 
(though sometimes with difficulty) mucus, 
and generally pus. 6. Water precipitates 
pus from such a solution, but does not mu- 
cus. 7. Where alkaline lixivium does not 
dissolve pus, it still distinguishes it fiom 
mucus, as it then prevents its diffusion 
through Water. 8. Coagulable lymph is 
neither soluble in diluted, nor concentrated 
sulphuric acid. 9. Water produces no 
change on a solution of serum in alkaline 
lixivium, until after long standing, and then 
only a very slight sediment appears. 10. 
The muriate of mercury coagulates mucus, 
but does not pus. From the above expe- 
riments, it appears that strong sulphuric 
acid and water, diluted sulphuric acid, and 
caustic alkaline lixivium and water, will 
serve to distinguish pus from niucus ; that 
the sulphuric acid can separate it from coa- 
gulable lymph, and alkaline lixivium from 
serum ; and hence, when a person has any 
expectorated material, the composition of 
which he wishes to ascertain, let him dis- 
solve it in sulphuric acid, and in caustic al- 
kaline lixivium, and then add pure water to 
both solutions ; and if there be a fair preci- 
pitation in each, he may be assured that 
some pus is present : if in neither a preci- 
pitation occur, it is a pertain test that the 
material is entirely mucus : if the material 
cannot be made to dissolve in alkaline lix- 
ivium, by time and trituration, we have also 
reason to believe that it is pus. To the 
above ingenious expeiiments may be fur- 
ther added, the coagulation of pus by the 
muriate of ammonia, as observed by Mr. 
Home, and its globular appearance through 
the microscope ; pus is also of the consis- 
tence of cream, of a whitish colour, and has 
a mawkish taste ; it is inodorous when cold, 
and when warm it has a peculiar smell. 
The predisposing causes are, hereditary 
disposition ; mal-conformation of the chest ; 
sanguine temperament ; scrofulous diathe- 
sis; which is indicated by a fine, clear, and 
smooth skin, large veins, delicate com- 
plexion, high-coloured lips, the upper ond 
swollen, white and transparent teeth, light 
hair, and light blue eyes, with a dilated 
pupil; there is great sensibility, uncommon 
acuteness of the understanding, and a pecuJ 
li|m gmtleness and softness in their man- 
ner'; "nre immoderate use of venery; cer- 
tain diseases, as the hooping-cough ; siphi- 
lis, and various exanthemata, particularly 
the measles ; various employments, as stone- 
cutters, needle-grinders, flax-dressers, and 
all sedentary occupations, particularly those 
which require a considerable degree of 
stooping ; the retrocession of eruptions ; 
indulgence in intoxicating liquors, and, ac- 
cording to Dr. Beddoes, hyper-oxygena- 
tion of the blood. The exciting causes are, 
hmmoptysis ; empyema ; catarrh, particularly 
the influenza ; asthma, obstructions of the ab- 
dominal viscera, particularly an enlarged and 
indumted state of the liver ; calculi formed 
in the lungs ; contagion and tubercles. The 
proximate cause is supposed to be an ulcer 
in the lungs. 
The prognosis in this disease depends 
upon the causes whence it originates, and 
upon the violence of the symptoms; if it 
be in consequence of empyema or tuber- 
cles, there is more danger than when it 
arises from hmmoptysis or wounds in the 
chest, but every case of phthisis is always 
attended with danger ; the progress of 
phthisis is often interrupted by pregnancy 
and mania, the latter has produced a radi- 
cal cure, hut in the former it almost always 
returns after delivery with increased vio- 
lence. 
In the treatment of this disease it will be 
particularly expedient to avoid, and if in 
our power, to remove the occasional causes 
mentioned above, by the proper methods. 
Which are mentioned in other parts of this 
treatise ; if several of the premonitory 
symptoms, as a dry, short, troublesome 
cough, occasional stiches in the sides, slight 
dyspnma upon using exercise, and a pulse 
somewhat accelerated and hard, shoidd at- 
tack a person of a phthisical habit, the 
most powerful remedies must be employed 
without loss of time : blood-letting, in a 
moderate quantity, will be necessaiy, and 
it should be repeated at proper intervals 
till those symptoms are relieved, taking 
care, however, not to reduce the strength 
of the patient too much, as debility is the 
most urgent symptom in the course of the 
disease : the bowels should be kept regular 
by gentle cathartics, as the calomel and 
rhubarb. After these evacuations, the ipc- 
