68 The N A T U R A L H I S T O R ¥ of
orarife from fome errour of living, but fineje their Symptoms are
obferved to be much the fame , it is but reafonable to fuppofe
their Originals fo too,
Every State of the Confumption might be Illuftrated with
Parallel Hiftories, as likewife the Methods of Cure might here
be propofed, butthofe being accounted for before in my Pbtbifeo-
hgia Lancaftrienjis, to that I referyou.
S E C T . III.
Of the D R O P ST.
I Shall now proceed to treat of the Dropfy which the Greeks
divide into threeSpecies, (viz.) The Timpanites, the Afcites, and
Anafarca, the Timpanites receives its Denomination from its
Sound, the Afcites from the Figure it reprefents of a Bottle, of
the Uterus and the Anafarca from an ill Habit contracted in the
Mufcuhr parts , but to reconcile the different Opitliohs1 of the
Ancient and Moderns, which are near as Numerous'as their
feveral Authors, would be to as {lender purpofe, as to Command
the Winds raging in a Storm: I therefore only take-notice of
fome topping Hypothefes, and fo give you my own 'Opinion;
The caufes affigned by the Ancients for Droplies, Were either i
Flatus as the Timpanites, or elfe a Weaknefs of the Livi^r, and
thence by a defeft of Sanguification enfued the Afcites and Aria'-
farca’3 According to our Celebrated Willis , theTimpanites proceeded
from a Convulfive motion of the Stomach,called Tetanus,
difturbing its Nervous Fibres; This Opinion feems to me very
improbable, for how can a Convulfive motion in that part continue
fo equally for fo many Years: I have known many affli&ed
with the Timpany and all along have-digefted well their Food,
have been free from Third:; and difturb’d neither with Sweats
nor Gripes, their Urine has been plentiful and laudable e-
nough, which agreeable Symptoms cou’d never happen, was the
Stomach frill inflated with fuch a Convulfive motion ; as to the
other
L ANC A S H I R E , OHÉS HI R g , 8jc. 6 f
other fpeoies of the-Dropfy they-arÖe fmmdhe
Maft bf Blood, become Acid-and^Vapid and the Chylfyby that
peans render’d incapâbfeto affimüâteMifeffelf to it, but ho^this
Ttifiïafïa comes in that point he !ik'filent ; w|ièh|ffSits pfó'per
place, I Will- endeavour to^ifciofe.^What, ou^Iminegt Sydenhhrft
Writes concerning-this,Difoafë, rbfpe,£fe? chiefly the Praâiçé, t î
whofe - Works I refer ybw; s’Thi \ latè Dr,'Morton* (affertV their
eaufes to arifofrom the'Coh^te^Qli^ye^'gmwiii Schifr®«
which tumefying burft-the^ympha>tick?f effih, but his errqur in
this will very plainly Appear1 Lift a Diffe^ibrfW.tWo I fhall in-
frahce in. ' - The! TeatnedioBr. Lifter du hir'Ejferëifatiomof
Ikopfies, pbfit-ively affigns thb Origin-of this £)ffeafer toproceëé
frbm a'defeat ofthe- firft-CpiK^otdidm, -and from- the Stofodoh being
irtfiamed ev’n to a .Ciuterifetion, but his miftake ia^thMts’-in
many other things, fhall be briefly ffi#k?n.
Ido here affirm, I haVè known mariyDropficàhPèKon^
the whole Coùéfè^of tfie Difeafe fettiiri, avéiy'igoodJDigèfiidif,
and their Urinfe both id quintity and quality j^reé^bl-fF^nbugh,
Which things confider’d' -/dtds; beyond' the Powér bfrSenle tare^
c^ilethofë P-faêid Syffiptofeii to\'a Stomach fo highly interned ;
It moW remains, v^thdhtfl^vë of fol nbtt^fMiâMtiÀift&oi^that-
ï-pt&pöfe myypwn Opinion ,-; which: 1 am far ffomlpbfiiiv’ely afri
ferting, the judgment of the Learned
Wbkl ! Thé Drppfy then ‘ftiay be divided intbdwo fpéèiés 'oïfty,
Bilious and Lymphatick p i call that ifa lis*^ k ô ièâ *
irig from thick-èofrlenfotedfÇhbte^ ObÖruéling'both thëGMnds
arid Biliary Tores of thé Ê$vër5 hence- thè Bile deny’d a doefrfoa^
ratipnj the Lymphatick Veffels, 6oth in the Livèri,' Kidnëÿ^ 7anff
others parts of the Body,- ‘become, diffended, arid at lëftgtfr bur ft- •
ihgy prbducë-iridfiïerêritiy,
Lymphatick Dropfy arifes-from a Vifciff T y ^ lj producing the
fanie effe&s iriCthófe Veffels as-are* alleged above; the Æüblogÿ1
Wherçbf fhall in whât followsheexplain’d.
•f That the Dibpfyfoây proceeff from thick Coagulated ôholér, '
is £bn firmed- by the Examination1 thë L e a r n m a k e s of-
itsjPHndpies j ittonfifts Öfa^UtxiVi^'TólatiiéafM^y^riV very
■ S îapt