minate in an ulcer; hence too much cau tion can never be used, in diforders of this kind, even when at first apparently flight; for many inftances might be brought to fhew their unfortunate event, when long neglected.

When difeafe arifes from a bad state of blood, it is often inconfiderable in the beginning, commencing with a fenfe of heat, and indolent pain at the lower part of the belly, but at length is attended with Strangury or frequent endeavour to make water. The urine is not only voided with difficulty, in finall quantities, but fometimes mixed with blood and matter highly putrid and offenfive.

Balfams of the terebinthinate kind, commonly used in the early ftate of this disease before the inflammation is abated and the ulcer difpofed to heal, have been found to exafperate the disease by their heating quality.

The

The like methods and medicines are here proper, as those mentioned in a painful fuppreffion of urine, or an ulcer of the womb. The emulfion, No. 46, or a folution of gum arabic in lime water, and a third part milk, may be taken for common drink, and the patient should abstain from wine and malt liquors. She may take the bolus, No. 47, with linfeed tea, or a decoction of fresh elm bark twice-a-day. If costive,a glass of fresh new milk whey, sweetened with manna, will be proper to remedy that inconvenience.

An infufion of pine buds, or a decoction of the green tops and berries of the juniper fhrub, with a small quantity of honey, in cold constitutions, where the disorder is void of pain or fever, may be given with advantage: and alfo the white balsamic mixture, No. 48.

The patient should confine herself to a light abftemious diet of milk, vegetables, honey, and ripe fruits; with a little animal food, jellies, or veal broth by turns. She should abstain from things falt and

high seasoned; from mustard, pepper, horse radish, &c. and alfo from acid liquors. Afs's milk with Bristol water and goat's whey are proper; but particularly the use of the decoction, No. 49, in quantity of half a pint twice a-day.

When the pain and irritation are violent; an opiate clyfter made with the decoction of white poppy heads, may be injected milk warm, which will cherish the affected parts, affwage pain and produce the effect of an internal fomentation.

СНАР.

CHA P. III.

SECTION IX.

Difeafes of the Stomach and Bowels; their Treatment and Cure.

IF, it was neceffary in the beginning of this work, to explain the functions of the womb, and fhew its extenfive influence on the female conftitution; it is here equally requifite to confider the natural office of the ftomach, as the great fource from which the body derives its nourishment and fupport.

Here, the first procefs of preparing that vital fluid, blood, is begun, and as the digeftive faculty of that organ is duly or imperfectly exerted on the aliment, so the blood will be rich, and pure, or crude, and watery: The first of these qualities will contribute

N

contribute to health, the laft will render it unfit for the purposes of life, and lay the foundation of various chronic Diseases.

The ftomach may be confidered as a veffel placed in the center of the body, like an Alembic, for concocting and digesting the food daily taken in for its nourishment. From the action of maftication or chewing, the aliment is broken down, and by mixing with the faliva or spittle reduced into a pulp: Thus prepared it defcends into the stomach, where, affifted with heat and moisture, it undergoes a flight fermentation, by which, the included air is expanded, and burfting from its confinement deftroys the folid, compact texture of the food, rendering it one degree more fit for nourishment.

This will be more easily effected, as animal and vegetable fubftances naturally tend to diffolution, as foon as all circulation thro' their veffels ceafes, and when thus deprived

of