[III]. Violent catharsis, as in diarrhœa or dysentery, is attended with inverted motions of the lymphatics of the intestines, and is generally owing to some stimulating material. This is counteracted by plenty of mucilaginous liquids, as solutions of gum arabic, or small chicken broth, to wash away or dilute the stimulating material, which causes the disease. And then by the use of the intestinal sorbentia, Art. [IV. 2. 5]. as rhubarb, decoction of logwood, calcined hartshorn, Armenian bole; and lastly, by the incitantia, as opium.
[IV]. The diabætes consists in the inverted motions of the urinary lymphatics, which is generally I suppose owing to the too great action of some other branch of the absorbent system. The urinary branch should be stimulated by cantharides, turpentine, resin (which when taken in larger doses may possibly excite it into inverted action), by the sorbentia and opium. The intestinal lymphatics should be rendered less active by torpentia, as calcareous earth, earth of alum; and those of the skin by oil externally applied over the whole body; and by the warm-bath, which should be of 96 or 98 degrees of heat, and the patient should sit in it every day for half an hour.
[V]. Inverted motions of the intestinal canal with all the lymphatics, which open into it, constitute the ileus, or iliac passion; in which disease it sometimes happens, that clysters are returned by the mouth. After venesection from ten grains to twenty of calomel made into very small pills; if this is rejected, a grain of aloe every hour; a blister; crude mercury; warm-bath; if a clyster of iced water?
Many other inverted motions of different parts of the system are described in Class [I. 3]. and which are to be treated in a manner similar to those above described. It must be noted, that the medicines mentioned under number one in the catalogue of revertentia are the true articles belonging to this class of medicines. Those enumerated in the other four divisions are chiefly such things as tend to remove the stimulating causes, which have induced the inversion of the motions of the part, as acrimonious contents, or inflammation, of the bowels in diarrhœa, diabetes, or in ileus. But it is probable after these remote causes are destroyed, that the fetid gums, musk, castor, and balsams, might be given with advantage in all these cases.
[III]. Catalogue of Revertentia.
[I]. Inverted motions, which attend the hysteric disease, are reclaimed, [1]. By musk, castor. [2]. By asafœtida, galbanum, sagapænum, ammoniacum, valerian. [3]. Essential oils of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, infusion of penny-royal, mentha, pulegium, peppermint, mentha piperita, ether, camphor. [4]. Spirit of hartshorn, oleum animale, spunge burnt to charcoal, black-snuffs of candles, which consist principally of animal charcoal, wood-soot, oil of amber. [5]. The incitantia, as opium, alcohol, vinegar. [6]. Externally the smoke of burnt feathers, oil of amber, volatile salt applied to the nostrils, blisters, sinapisms.
[II]. Inverted motions of the stomach are reclaimed by opium, alcohol, blisters, crude mercury, sinapisms, camphor and opium externally, clysters with asafœtida.
[III]. Inverted motions of the intestinal lymphatics are reclaimed by mucilaginous diluents, and by intestinal sorbentia, as rhubarb, logwood, calcined hartshorn, Armenian bole; and lastly by incitantia, as opium.
[IV]. Inverted motions of the urinary lymphatics are reclaimed by cantharides, turpentine, rosin, the sorbentia, and opium, with calcareous earth, and earth of alum, by oil externally, warm-bath.
[V]. Inverted motions of the intestinal canal are reclaimed by calomel, aloe, crude mercury, blisters, warm-bath, clysters with asafœtida, clysters of iced water? or of spring water further cooled by salt dissolved in water contained in an exterior vessel? Where there exists an introsusception of the bowel in children, could the patient be held up for a time by the feet with his head downwards, or be laid with his body on an inclined plane with his head downwards, and crude mercury be injected as a clyster to the quantity of two or three pounds?