263

DROPSY.

Persons subject to the jaundice ought to take as much exeçcisaas possible, and to avoid all heating and astringent aliments.

The two last directions are of far greater importance than somepeople ¡nay imagine. In fact, taking exercise, and keeping thebodv open, are the only assured and rational means of removing acomplaint which generally arises from an obstruction of the bilia-ry ducts. I knew a celebrated physician who was subject to tiiijsdisease, and who, whenever it attacked him, mounted his horse,set out on a journey, and never returned till he was well. For myown part, I should place more reliance on the efficacy of suchmethod, than on the whole catalogue of near a hundred specificsmentioned by the late Doctor Shout of Sheffield, though I haveknown instances where one of them, the decoction of hemp-seed, asalready intimated, was found very beneficial.

CHAP. XXIX.

DROPSY. (Hydrops.)

The dropsy is a preternatural swelling of the whole body, orsome part of it, occasioned by a collection of watery humour. Itis distinguished by different names, according to the part affected,as anasarca, or a collection of water under the cellular membrane ;ascites, or a collection of water in the belly ; hydrops pectoris, ordropsy of the breast ; hydrocephalus, or dropsy of the brain, «fee.

Causes. — The dropsy is often owing to an hereditary disposi-tion. It may likewise proceed from drinking ardent spirits, orother strong liquors. It is true almost to a proverb, that greatdrinkers die of a dropsy. The want of exercise is also a very com-mon cause of the dropsy. Hence it is justly reckoned among thediseases of the sedentary. It often proceeds from excessive evac-uations, as frequent and copious bleedings, strong purges often re-peated, frequent salivations, »fee. The sudden stoppage of cus-tomary or necessary evacuations, as the menses, the haemorrhoids,alvine fluxes, «fee. may likewise cause a dropsy.

I have known the dropsy occasioned by drinking large quanti-ties of cold, weak watery liquor, when the body was heated by vi-olent exercise. A low, damp, or marshy situation is likewise afrequent cause of it. Hence it is a common disease in moist, flat,fenny countries. It may also be brought orrby a long use of poorwatery diet, or of viscous aliment that is hard of digestion. It i<often the effect of other diseases, as the jaundice, a scirrhus ofthe liver, a violent ague of long continuance, scarlet fever, diar-ihoea, dysentery, empyema, or a consumption of the lungs. /nshort, whatever obstructs the perspiration, or prevents the Woodfrom being duly prepared, may occasion a dropsy.

Sïmptoms. — Anasarca generally begins witJi a swelling of thefeet and ancles towards night, which for some time disappears ¡othe morning. In the evening the parts, if pressed with the finger,