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

by Erasmus Darwin

As the size of a drop is greater or less according to the size of the rim of the phial from which it is dropped, a part of this saturated tincture is then directed to be put into a two-ounce phial, for the purpose of ascertaining the size of the drop. Thirty drops of this tincture is directed to be put into an ounce of mint-water for a draught to be taken twice or thrice a day, till it reduces the anasarca of the limbs, or removes the difficulty of breathing in hydrothorax, or till it induces sickness. And if these do not occur in two or three days, the dose must be gradually increased to forty or sixty drops, or further.

From the great stimulus of this medicine the stomach is rendered torpid with consequent sickness, which continues many hours and even days, owing to the great exhaustion of its sensorial power of irritation; and the action of the heart and arteries becomes feeble from the deficient excitement of the sensorial power of association; and lastly, the absorbents of the cellular membrane act more violently in consequence of the accumulation of the sensorial power of association in the torpid heart and arteries, as explained in Suppl. I. [12].

A circumstance curiously similar to this occurs to some people on smoking tobacco for a short time, who have not been accustomed to it. A degree of sickness is presently induced, and the pulsations of the heart and arteries become feeble for a short time, as in the approach to fainting, owing to the direct sympathy between these and the stomach, that is from defect of the excitement of the power of association. Then there succeeds a tingling, and heat, and sometimes sweat, owing to the increased action of the capillaries, or perspirative and mucous glands; which is occasioned by the accumulation of the sensorial power of association by the weaker action of the heart and arteries, which now increases the action of the capillaries.

[8]. Another method of increasing absorption from the cellular membrane is by warm air, or by warm steam. If the swelled legs of a dropsical patient are inclosed in a box, the air of which is made warm by a lamp or two, copious sweats are soon produced by the increased action of the capillary glands, which are seen to stand on the skin, as it cannot readily exhale in so small a quantity of air, which is only changed so fast as may be necessary to permit the lamps to burn. At the same time the lymphatics of the cellular membrane are stimulated by the heat into greater action, as appears by the speedy reduction of the tumid legs.

It would be well worth trying an experiment upon a person labouring under a general anasarca by putting him into a room filled with air heated to 120 or 130 degrees, which would probably excite a great general diaphoresis, and a general cellular absorption both from the lungs and every other part. And that air of so great heat may be borne for many minutes without great inconvenience was shewn by the experiments made in heated rooms by Dr. Fordyce and others. Philos. Trans.

Another experiment of using warmth in anasarca, or in other diseases, might be by immersing the patient in warm air, or in warm steam, received into an oil-skin bag, or bathing-tub of tin, so managed, that the current of warm air or steam should pass round and cover the whole of the body except the head, which might not be exposed to it; and thus the absorbents of the lungs might be induced to act more powerfully by sympathy with the skin, and not by the stimulus of heat. See Uses of Warm Bath, Art. [II. 2. 2. 1].

[IV]. [1]. Venous absorption. Cellary, water-cresses, cabbages, and many other vegetables of the Class Tetradynamia, do not increase the heat of the body (except those whose acrimony approaches to corrosion), and hence they seem alone, or principally, to act on the venous system; the extremities of which we have shewn are absorbents of the red blood, after it has passed the capillaries and glands.

[2]. In the sea-scurvy and petechial fever the veins do not perfectly perform this office of absorption; and hence the vibices are occasioned by blood stagnating at their extremities, or extravasated into the cellular membrane. And this class of vegetables, stimulating the veins to perform their natural absorption, without increasing the energy of the arterial action, prevents future petechiæ, and may assist the absorption of the blood already stagnated, as soon as its chemical change renders it proper for that operation.

[3]. The fluids, which are extravasated, and received into the cells of the cellular membrane, seem to continue there for many days, so as to undergo some chemical change, and are then taken up again by the mouths of the cellular absorbents. But the new vessels produced in inflamed parts, as they communicate with the veins, are probably absorbed again by the veins along with the blood which they contain in their cavities. Hence the blood, which is extravasated in bruises or vibices, is gradually many days in disappearing; but after due evacuations the inflamed vessels on the white of the eye, if any stimulant lotion is applied, totally disappear in a few hours.

Amongst absorbents affecting the veins we should therefore add the external application of stimulant materials; as of vinegar, which makes the lips pale on touching them. Friction, and electricity.