SCIRRHUS AND CANCER.

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particularly old maids and widows, about tlie time when the men-strual flux ceases. It may likewise be occasioned by excessive fear,grief, anger, religious melai 'holy, or any of the depressing pas-sions. Hence the unfortunate, the choleric, and those persons whodevote themselves to a religious life in convents or monasteries, areoften afflicted with it. It may also be occasioned by the long con-tinued use of food that is too hard of digestion, or of an acrid na-ture ; by barrenness, celibacy, indolence, cold, external injuries,friction, pressure, or the like. Women often suffer from the lastof these by means of their stays, which squeeze and compresstheir breasts so as to occasion great mischief. Sometimes the dis-ease is owing to an hereditary disposition.

Symptoms. — This disorder seems often very trifling at the begin-ning. A hard tumour, about the size of a Jiazle-nut, or perhapssmaller, is generally the first symptom. This will often continuefor a long time without seeming to increase, or giving the patientgreat uneasiness; but if the constitution be hurt, or the tumourirritated by pressure or improper treatment of any kind, it beginsto extend itself towards the neighbouring parts, by pushing out akind of roots or limbs. It then gets the name of cancer, from :.fancied resemblance between these limbs and the claws of a crab.

The colour of the skin begins to change, which is first red, after-wards purple, then bluish, livid, and at last black. The patientcomplains of beat, with a burning, gnawing, shooting pain. Thetumour is very hard, rough, and unequal, with a protuberance, orrising, in the middle ; its size increases daily, and the neighbour-ing veins become thick, knotty, and of a blackish colour.

The skin at length gives way, and a thin sharp ichor begins toflow, which corrodes the neighbouring parts till it forms a largeunsightly ulcer. More occult cancers arise, and communicate withthe neighbouring glands. The pain and stench become intolera-ble ; the appetite fails ; tbe strength is exhausted by a continualhectic fever; at last, a violent hœmorrhage, or discharge of blood,from some part of the body, with faintings or convulsion fits, gen-erally put an end to the miserable patient's life.

Regimen. — The diet ought to be light, but nourishing. Allstrong liquors, and high-seasoned or salted provisions, are to heavoided. The patient may take as much exercise as be can easilybear ; and should use every method to divert thaugLt and amusehis fancy. All kinds of external injury are carefully to be guard-ed against, particularly of the affected part, which ought to be de-fended from all pressure, and even from the external air, by cover-ing it with fur or soft flannel.

Medicine. — This is one of those diseases for which no certainremedy is yet known. Its progress, however, may sometimes beretarded, and some of its most disagreeable symptoms mitigated,by proper applications. One misfortune attending the disease is,that the unhappy patient often conceals it too long. Were propermeans used in due time, a cancer might often be prevented ; butafter the disorder has arrived at a certain height, it generally setsall medicine at defiance.

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