tion. Spirituous applications used for repelling milk from the breafts, injuries of the womb received by hard labours, or the violent extraction of the after-burthen, may likewise be productive of that complaint. A fcirrhous tumor is generally small in its beginning and remains indolent for a time, without pain or apparent danger, but being irritated or disturbed by any. of the causes from which it was originally produced, it is then liable to become painful and inflamed. It gradually grows larger and more irregular in figure, and 1 at last is affected with burning heat and pungent pains; the veins proceeding from it being fwelled, and of a blackish levid hue, fomewhat refembling the claws of a crab-fifh, it is from thence called Cancer. Every fcirrhus, when painful or inflamed, is apt to become malignant and degenerate into cancer, and this fatal change is most to be dreaded at the age of forty-five, or about the ceffation of the menfes, particu larly larly in women of bad conftitutions, who have been irregular or obstructed; so that of twenty women affected with Cancers, fifteen of that number, have been generally found of an age between forty-five and fifty. ti The intemperate ufe of fpirituous liquors, the violent impreffion of anger, or the more flow effects of melancholy, and continual anxiety of mind, all powerfully dispose the patient to fcirrhous or cancerous complaints; and therefore, old maids, nuns, or those who are inactive, and lead a folitary unfociable, and difcontented life, have been obferved particularly fubject to such diseases. . When a fcirrhous tumor is irritated and begins to itch or grow red, with pain and inflammation, the obftructed glandular Lymph being then heated and disturbed, is changed into a dangerous animal poifon which having broke its inclosure and made way through the skin, corrodes the contiguous parts like aqua fortis and forms an ulcerated, running running fore or open cancer. So that the fame cause which changes a fcirrhus into a cancer, may convert a concealed cancer into one which is open or ulcerated. When the mass of blood, the very foun tain from which both life and health proceed, is unfortunately tainted with this poisonous fluid, the whole body is rendered difeafed, and the cancerous matter fréquently fixes upon fome other glandular part; fo that what was at first only local, now becomes a univerfal malady, and like a peftilential blight, overspreads and lays wafte the conftitution. Hence a flow fever attended with nightfweats, an habitual diarrhea, pain, and want of rest alternately confume, the patient's ftrength. Clots of corrupted blood are discharged with exceffive pain and forcing down, and fometimes fluid blood in large quantities efcapes from the veffels corroded and eaten away by the extreme fharpness of the cancerous humor... Thus Thus reduced to the extremeft weakness, and deftitute of hope, the lives in a long continued state of exquifite mifery, a prey to this cruel disease; 'till Death's henumbing opium composes her to final reft, and an once puts a period to her life and sufferings.. As no certain and infallible cure is yet known for a confirmed ulcerated cancer, which inevitably deftroys the constitution': by vitiating the blood; the early extirpation of all fuch, fcirrhous tumors as are movesT able under the skin, and unconnected to any confiderable nerve or blood-veffel, is a practice which can never be too much recom) mended, even where they may appear void of pain or danger; more particularly if they arife from external causes, and the conftitu. tion is otherwife good and found. It is only by fuch means the patient can be effectually fecured from the danger of an incurable cancer, which would be re-. moved to no purpòfe, when once the blood was tainted with its poison, which like old leven, will produce a difeafed ferment, even after extirpation, fhould the least part of the cancer remain behind. There are two circumstances of a very diftreffing nature, which attend fcirrhous, or cancerous tumors of the womb in particular; for inftance, their exiftence can feldom be discovered, with certainty, till too far advanced to admit of cure by medicines or regimen; and their extirpation is gene rally impoffible, when thus included in the cavity of the womb. Befides, fuch tumors, from the internal heat, and confinement of the cancerous dif charge, are much more violent in their fymptoms, and rapid in their progrefs, than ́ those of the breasts or other parts; even fo as not only to erode, and destroy the womb' itfelf, but extend to the contiguous parts. This fatal circumftance befel a celebrated' Irish actress on the English ftage, whofe fuf ferings 1 |