Zoonomia; Or, the Laws of Organic Life, Vol. I

by Erasmus Darwin

The skin of the face is subject to more frequent vicissitudes of heat and cold, from its exposure to the open air, and is in consequence more liable to sensitive association with the stomach than any other part of the surface of the body, because their actions have been more frequently thus associated. Thus in a surfeit from drinking cold water, when a person is very hot and fatigued, an eruption is liable to appear on the face in consequence of this sympathy. In the same manner the rosy eruption on the faces of drunkards more probably arises from the sympathy of the face with the stomach, rather than between the face and the liver, as is generally supposed.

This sympathy between the stomach and the skin of the face is apparent in the eruption of the small-pox; since, where the disease is in considerable quantity, the eruption on the face first succeeds the sickness of the stomach. In the natural disease the stomach seems to be frequently primarily affected, either alone or along with the tonsils, as the matter seems to be only diffused in the air, and by being mixed with the saliva, or mucus of the tonsils, to be swallowed into the stomach.

After some days the irritative circles of motions become disordered by this new stimulus, which acts upon the mucus lining of the stomach; and sickness, vertigo, and a diurnal fever succeed. These disordered irritative motions become daily increased for two or three days, and then by their increased action certain sensitive motions, or inflammation, is produced, and at the next cold fit of fever, when the stomach recovers from its torpor, an inflammation of the external skin is formed in points (which afterwards suppurate), by sensitive association, in the same manner as a cough is produced in consequence of exposing the feet to cold, as described in Sect. [XXV. 17]. and Class IV. 2. I. 7. If the inoculated skin of the arm, as far as it appears inflamed, was to be cut out, or destroyed by caustic, before the fever commenced, as suppose on the fourth day after inoculation, would this prevent the disease? as it is supposed to prevent the hydrophobia.

[III]. [1]. Where the new vessels, and enlarged old ones, which constitute inflammation, are not so hastily distended as to burst, and form a new kind of gland for the secretion of matter, as above mentioned; if such circumstances happen as diminish the painful sensation, the tendency to growth ceases, and by and by an absorption commences, not only of the superabundant quantity of fluids deposited in the inflamed part, but of the solids likewise, and this even of the hardest kind.

Thus during the growth of the second set of teeth in children, the roots of the first set are totally absorbed, till at length nothing of them remains but the crown; though a few weeks before, if they are drawn immaturely, their roots are found complete. Similar to this Mr. Hunter has observed, that where a dead piece of bone is to exfoliate, or to separate from a living one, that the dead part does not putrify, but remains perfectly sound, while the surface of the living part of the bone, which is in contact with the dead part, becomes absorbed, and thus effects its separation. Med. Comment. Edinb. V. 1. 425. In the same manner the calcareous matter of gouty concretions, the coagulable lymph deposited on inflamed membranes in rheumatism and extravasated blood become absorbed; which are all as solid and as indissoluble materials as the new vessels produced in inflammation.

This absorption of the new vessels and deposited fluids of inflamed parts is called resolution: it is produced by first using such internal means as decrease the pain of the part, and in consequence its new motions, as repeated bleeding, cathartics, diluent potations, and warm bath.

After the vessels are thus emptied, and the absorption of the new vessels and deposited fluids is evidently begun, it is much promoted by stimulating the part externally by solutions of lead, or other metals, and internally by the bark, and small doses of opium. Hence when an ophthalmy begins to become paler, any acrid eye-water, as a solution of six grains of white vitriol in an ounce of water, hastens the absorption, and clears the eye in a very short time. But the same application used a few days sooner would have increased the inflammation. Hence after evacuation opium in small doses may contribute to promote the absorption of fluids deposited on the brain, as observed by Mr. Bromfield in his treatise of surgery.

[2]. Where an abscess is formed by the rupture of these new vessels, the violence of inflammation ceases, and a new gland separates a material called pus: at the same time a less degree of inflammation produces new vessels called vulgarly proud flesh; which, if no bandage confines its growth, nor any other circumstance promotes absorption in the wound, would rise to a great height above the usual size of the part.

Hence the art of healing ulcers consists in producing a tendency to absorption in the wound greater than the deposition. Thus when an ill-conditioned ulcer separates a copious and thin discharge, by the use of any stimulus, as of salts of lead, or mercury, or copper externally applied, the discharge becomes diminished in quantity, and becomes thicker, as the thinner parts are first absorbed.

But nothing so much contributes to increase the absorption in a wound as covering the whole limb above the sore with a bandage, which should be spread with some plaster, as with emplastrum de minio, to prevent it from slipping. By this artificial tightness of the skin, the arterial pulsations act with double their usual power in promoting the ascending current of the fluid in the valvular lymphatics.