OF INFLAMMATIONS AND ABSCESSES.
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important occasion, and when they think themselves in extreme danger,they fly to it for relief, whether it be proper or not. Bleeding at certainstated periods or seasons has likewise bad effects.
It is a common notion that bleeding in the feet draws the humoursdownwards, and consequently cures diseases of the head and othersuperior parts; but we have already observed that, in all topical affections, the blood ought to be drawn as near the part as possible. Whenit is necessary, however, to bleed in the foot or hand, as the veins aresmall, and the bleeding is apt to stop too soon, the part ought to be im-mersed in warm water, and kept there till a sufficient quantity of bloodbe let.
We shall not spend time in describing the manner of performing thisoperation: that will be better learned by example than precept. Twentypages of description would not convey so just an idea of the operationas seeing it once performed by an expert hand. Neither is it necessaryto point out the different parts of the body from whence blood may betaken, as the arm, foot, forehead, temples, neck, &c. These will readilyoccur to every intelligent person, and the foregoing observations will besufficient for determining which of them is most proper upon any parti-cular occasion. In all cases where the intention is merely to lessen thegeneral mass of blood, the arm is the most commodious part of the bodyin which the operation can be performed.
I
OF INFLAMMATIONS AND ABSCESSES.
From whatever cause an inflammation proceeds, it must terminateeither by dispersion, suppuration, or gangrene. Though it is impossibleto fbretel with certainty in which of these ways any particular inflam-mation will terminate, yet a probable conjecture may be formed withregard to the event from a knowledge of the patient's age and constitu-tion. Inflammations happening in a slight degree upon colds, and with-out any previous disposition, will most probably be dispersed; thosewhich follow close upon a fever, or happen to persons of a gross habitof body, will generally suppurate; and those which attack very oldpeople, or persons of a dropsical habit, will have a strong tendency togangrene.
If the inflammation be slight, and the constitution sound, the disper-sion ought always to be attempted. This will be best promoted by aslender diluting diet, plentiful bleeding, and repeated purges. The partitself must be fomented, and, if the skin be very tense, it may be embro-cated with a mixture of three-fourths of sweet-oil and one-fourth ofvinegar, and afterwards covered with a piece of wax-plaster.
If, notwithstanding these applications, the symptomatic fever increases,and the tumor becomes larger, with violent pain and pulsation, it will beproper to promote the suppuration. The best application for this purpose is a soft poultice, which may be renewed twice a-day. If the sup-puration proceeds but slowly, a raw onion cut small or bruised may bespread upon the poultice, or apply the ripening cataplasm. When theabscess is ripe or fit for opening, which may easily be known from thothinness of the skin in the most prominent part of it, fluctuation of mat-