322 
PATHOLOGY 
tic purges, and exciting the kidneys by turpentine or 
fmall dofes of tindtura lyttas. As to the time it may be 
right to perfevere in thefe meafures, or in bleeding, when 
little apparent amendment is produced, no general rule 
can be given. The termination of apoplexy is generally 
rapid : but, as we have before noticed, exceptions occur 
fufficiently often tojuftify the adoption of every meafure 
till the lateft period. When the difeafe terminates in 
paralyfis, it will be neceflary to bear in mind the manner 
in which a cure is effected. But we fliall not enlarge on 
this fubjedt, becaufe it has received full confideration in 
another part of this w'ork. See Palsy, vol. xviii. It 
may be right, however, to remark, that we (Irould keep 
up a brilkadlion of the bowels, and take every means to 
obviate fanguineous fnlnefs and gaftric irritation, as 
meafures moll likely to procure abforption. In palfy 
itridtly local, or in cafes of fuch old Handing that we have 
reafon to confider the morbid depofition no longer the 
caufe of the difeafe, and that the paralyfis depends on in- 
ertnefs of nerves from mere habit, electricity will be found 
ufeful. 
6. Carus paralyfis : corporeal torpitude, and mufcular 
immobility, more or lefs general ; without fomnolency. 
Three varieties. 
a. P. hemiplegia; affedting, and confined to, one fide 
of the body. 
/•?. P. paraplegia ; affedting, and confined to, the lower 
half of the body on both fides. 
y. P. particularis; affedting, and confined to, particu¬ 
lar limbs. 
Palfy is found alfo, under one of thefe varieties, occa- 
fionally as a fymptom in fevers; exanthems ; colic, and 
other affeCtions of the inteftinal canal; gout, rheuma- 
tifm, ftruma, fiphilis, trichoma ; difeafes of the external 
organs of fenfe; wounds, and other external injuries. 
We do not find that we have any thing material to add 
to what has been Hated in the recent article Palsy, vol. 
xviii. p. 301-3. 
Class V. GENETICA, [from yetim^xi, to beget.] 
Diseases of the Sexual Function. 
Order I. Cenotica, [from xewo-n;, an evacuation.] 
AffeCting the Fluids. Morbid difcharges ; or excefs, de¬ 
ficiency, or irregularity, of fuch as are natural. This 
order contains five genera. 
Genus I. Paramenia, [from vrxpx, bad, and prii, the 
menfes.] Morbid evacuation, or deficiency of the cata¬ 
menial flux. 
The catamenial flux is a fecretion from the mucous 
membrane which lines the uterus and fupericr part of the 
vagina. It differs from the ordinary mucus fecreted in 
thefe parts, in coagulating, in occurring periodically (for 
it appears in health only once a-month), and in its pof- 
fefling the colour of blood. Its red colour is however 
the only property which it has in common with blood, 
it being in every other refpeCt totally different from that 
fluid, as Hunter has very clearly fliown. See Hunter on 
the Blood, p. 88. In warm climates, women begin and 
leave off menfiruating at a much earlier period.of life 
than in cold ones. The quantum of catamenial dif- 
charge, allowing for great varieties dependant on cli¬ 
mate and conflitution, may be fixed at a mean ratio of 
five or eight ounces, and the time of its flowing at from 
four to fix days. Nothing is known as to the intimate 
proceffes of the human economy by which this monthly 
action occurs in the female; but it is known that the 
menflrual flux is in ordinary cafes neceflary to fit the 
uterus for conception, and that its interruption or irre¬ 
gularity exerts a very unpleafant influence over many of 
the fundtions of the body. The immediate fituation of 
Paramenia is of courfe, as before Hated, the uterus and 
fuperior part of the vagina. But thefe parts are often 
affedied by diftindt maladies, which we muH remove be¬ 
fore remedies adting on the fecernents of the uterus will 
avail. This genus contains five fpecies, befides varie¬ 
ties. 
1. Paramenia obftrudtionis. In this complaint the ca¬ 
tamenial fecretion is obftruded in its courfe ; fometimes 
altogether, fometimes only to a certain degree. From 
the retention of a large quantity of fluid in the blood, 
fymptoms of plethora are often prefent; and, from the 
ftrong fympathy between the flomach and uterus, the 
former organ becomes difordered, and draws into difor- 
der the refl of the chylopoietic vifcera : confequently the 
ufual dyfpeptic fymptoms of acid and rancid erudlation, 
load at the pit of the flomach, coflivenefs, low fpirits, 
&c. are hardly ever entirely abfent. There are two va¬ 
rieties. 
x. Emanfio, retention of the menfes: obftrudted on 
their acceflion, or firfl appearance. Feet and ancles ede¬ 
matous at night; eyes and face in the morning 5 with 
other chlorotic fymptoms. 
( 3 . Suppreflio, fuppreflion of the menfes: obftrudted in 
their regular periods of recurrence. Head-ache, dyfp- 
ncea, palpitation of the heart. 
From thefe fymptoms it is fufflcientlv obvious, that 
fupprejjhn of the menfes is attended with flronger marks 
of plethora than retention of the menfes, while in the 
latter difeafe the dyfpeptic fymptoms are more predomi¬ 
nant. 
Retention of the menfes arifes from an inactive Hate 
of the uterine fecernents; (excepting, of courfe, cafes 
of imperforate hymen.) This inadlion may be the refult 
of an infufficient flow of blood to the uterine fyflem, 
or from a debility which the fecernents in general always 
fuffer when thofe of the fkin and alimentary canal are de¬ 
bilitated. Some have faid that the difeafe arifes “ from 
a w'ant of power in the fyflem to propel blood into the 
uterine veffels with a force fufficient to open their extre¬ 
mities;” but furely this pathology is overturned by the 
fadt, that vigour of pulfe is fometimes met with in reten¬ 
tion of the menfes. We mufl therefore look to the dif¬ 
ordered Hate of the fecernents for the cure of this difeafe. 
It is to be remarked, that, while fome women begin men- 
Hruation without any unpleafant feelings, others fuffer 
much pain and illnefs previous to theiracceflion. More¬ 
over the difcharge is often irregular, both in quantity 
and time of occurrence. The firfl appearance of them 
is generally at the age of fifteen or fixteen, fometimes not 
till eighteen or nineteen. Thefe fadts are mentioned in 
this place to guard againft the ufe of medicine for the 
relief of thefe natural irregularities, (if we may be allowed 
the expreflion,) while general ill feelings are abfent. 
They do not of courfe arreft the adoption of remedial 
meafures when unpleafant fymptoms arife in confequence 
of the retention. 
The treatment of the firfl variety is fufficiently Ample. 
It confifts in exciting the fecernent fyflem generally, and 
that of the uterus in particular. In the firfl place, the 
treatment of dyfpepfia mufl be put in force. The ufual 
palliatives, alkalies and opiates, mufl correct the difeafed 
fecretion of the flomach ; flight mercurials mufl be made 
to operate on the liver; the bowels mufl be kept in a 
regular and healthful ftate by means of laxatives and 
appropriate diet; and exercife mufl be regularly taken. 
After this, the ikin is to be excited by means of the 
cold bath, followed by fridlion to produce re-adtion ; and 
moderate dofes of ftimulating medicines, as gentian, and 
more particularly fteel, may be given.- .The indica¬ 
tions of exciting the uterus is to be effedted by the 
ufual popular means of the warm bath applied to the 
feet or over the hips; and the milder laxatives may 
give way to purges fome what draltic. To thefe mea¬ 
fures may be added, in obftinate cafes, mild emmena- 
gogues, as the mifturte myrrhae comp, or decodt. aloes 
conf. in the ufual dofes. The addition ot ten or 
twelve drops of tindture of bliitering-fly, or , of the 
r black 
