Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 13, MAT-MIC

44*5 M E D I
Apocenofes.
1 —— v—■—> Caput obftipum, Pag. ^13.
Digitium, Vog. 221.
The contradtion of various mufcles of the body is
generally the confequence of fome other difeafe, as the
rheumatifm, gout, fcurvy, or palfy, efpecially that fpe-
cies of the latter which follows the co/ica PiEionum. It
is exceedingly difficult of cure *, though the warm me¬
dicinal waters are much recommended, and have fome-
times done great fervice. Of late eledtricity has been
found to perform furprifing cures in this way.
3S5 Order IV. APOCENOSES.
Apocenofes, Vog. Clafs 11. Ord. II.
Fluxus, Sauv. Clafs IX. Sag. Clafs V.
Morbi evacuatorii, Lin. Clafs IX.
W Genus CXVI. PROFUSIO.
Flux of Blood.
Profufio, Lin. 239.
Hsemorrhagia, Vog. 81. Boerh. 218.
The difeafe commonly known by the name of bloody
Jlux, is the putrid or contagious dyfentery, a difeafe
which has already been treated of. But independent
of the difcharge of blood which then takes place, hse-
morrhagy may take place from the alimentary canal
as well as from other parts of the fyftem. In fuch in-
ftances, however, if we except the place from which
the difcharge occurs, the phenomena are very much
the fame as in menorrhagia, haemoptyfis, and other
hsemorrhagies already treated of j while the difeafe is to
be combated on the fame principles and by the fame
remedies.
3S7 Genus CXVII. EPHIDROSIS.
ExceJJive Sweating.
Ephidrofis, Sauv. gen. 238. Sag. gen. I94«
Sudor, Lin. 208.
Hydropedefis, Vog- 121.
This is generally fymptomatic ; and occurs in al-
moft aR fevers, but efpecially in the latter Rages of
the hedtic. Sometimes it is a primary difeafe arifing
merely from weaknefs ; and then eafily admits of a cure
by the ufe of the cinchona, the cold bath, and other
tonics.
3*8 Genus CXVIII. EPIPHORA.
Flux of the Lachrymal Humour.
Epiphora, Sauv. gen. 259. Lin. 172. Vog. 99.
Sag. 195.
This by Sauvages is defcribed as an involuntary
effufion of tears without any remarkable itching, heat,
or pain. It follows long continued ophthalmias ; or
it may be occafioned by immoderate Rudy, or any
thing that weakens the eyes : hence it comes on about
the age of 50 years, when the eyefight naturally be¬
comes weak. ^ It in general grows worfe in the win-
i'er-time, and is very hard to cure. Some authors re-
CINE. Pradice,
commend purgatives, and bliRers on the nape of the Ptvaiifmm.
neck, in order to draw off the abundant humours •, but
as the difeafe evidently proceeds from wreaknefs, it
would rather feem proper to purfue a contrary method.
Sauvages recommends to the patients to abflain from
Rudy, wine, and faked meats ; and alfo to avoid fmoke
or wind, and at night to foment the eyes with an in-
fufion of four cloves in two ounces of proof-fpirit.
Hungary water, rofe water with fulphate of zinc dif-
folved in it, See. have alfo been recommended.
Genus CXIX. PTYALISMUS. 3s0
Salivation.
Ptyalifmus, Sauv. gen. 261. Lin. 176. Vog. 103,
Sag. 197.
A falivation is often fymptomatic, but rarely a prima¬
ry difeafe. Dr Cullen is of opinion, that when the lat¬
ter happens to be the cafe, it arifes from laxity j and
then is to be cured by auringents and tonics. In the
Medical Tranfadlions we have the following account of
a falivation brought on by a foreign fubRance irritating
one of the parotid glands.
In the month of April 175D a young lady about
the age of 16 years, of a delicate habit, but fubjeft to
no particular complaints, perceived the beginning of a
difeafe which afterwards proved mod obflinate and
loathfome, viz. an inceffant fpitting. The quantity of
this difcharge was different at different times, varying
from one pint to two pints and a half in 24 hours.
As to its quality, it feemed to be no other than the or¬
dinary fecretion of the falival glands. By fo large and
conRant an evacuation, her Rrength became extreme¬
ly impaired, and the mod efficacious medicines had
proved ufelefs. She had taken large quantities of cin¬
chona, both alone and combined with preparations of
iron : and afterwards the fetid gums, opium, amber,
alum, and the Neville-Holt water, had in fucceffion
been given her. In the mean time an exaft regimen
had been preferibed : ffie had been ordered to ride con-
ftantly j and to confine herfelf to a mucilaginous diet,
fuch as veal, calves feet, &c. Likewife a gentle open¬
ing medicine had now and then been interpofed. The
difeafe Rill continued unaltered, ffie had afterwards
tried the tinBura falumina ; and had, at the fame time,
been encouraged to chew cinchona, and to fwallow the
faliva. But all thefe attempts had been vain; and after
ffie had taken fome or other of the medicines above
mentioned until the end of September 1753> namely,
above two years, it appeared to her phyfician, Sir George
Baker, unreafonable to expedt relief in fuch a cafe from
any internal medicines whatever.
He now conceived a fufpicion, that fome extrane¬
ous body having accidentally found its way into the
meatus auditorius, might poffibly be the caufe of this
extraordinary fecretion, by keeping up a continued ir¬
ritation in the parotid glands. With this view he ex¬
amined her ears, and extradled from them a quantity of
fetid wool. How, or when, it came thither, no ac-'
count could be given.
To this fubRance he attributed the beginning of the
falivation, notwithRanding'that the difeafe did not im¬
mediately abate on the removal of the wool j as it ap--
peared to be no improbable fuppofition that the dif-
i charge