BLEEDING.

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seasonably and properly performed, be of singular service to thosein distress.

Bleeding is proper at the beginning of oil inflammatory fevers,as pleurisies, peripneumonies, &c. It is likewise proper in alltopical inflammations, as those of the intestines, womb, bladder,stomach, kidneys, throat, eyes, &c. as also in the asthma in cer-tain cases, head-achs, acute rheumatism, apoplexy, epilepsy, andbloody flux under certain states. After falls, blows, bruises, orany violent hurt received either externally, or internally, bleedingis necessary. It is likewise necessary for persons who have hadthe misfortune to be strangled, drowned, suffocated with foul fir,the fumes of metal, or the like. In a word, whenever the vitalmotions have been suddenly stopped from any cause whatever, ex-cept in swoonings occasioned by mere weakness or hysteric affec-tions, it is proper to open a vein. But in all disorders proceedingfrom relaxation of the solids, and an impoverished state of theblood, as dropsies, cacochymies, <fec. bleeding is improper.

Bleeding for topical inflammations ought always to be perform-ed as near the part affected as possible. When this can be donewith a lancet, it is to be preferred to any other method ; but wherea vein cannot be found, recourse must be had to leeches or cup-ping.

The quantity of blood to be taken away must always be regula-ted by the strength, age, constitution, manner of life, and othercircumstances relating to the patient. It would be ridiculous tosuppose that a child could bear to lose as much blood as a grownperson, or that a delicate lady should be bled to the same extentas a robust man.

The mode of bleeding most frequently practised, is that of open-ing a vein ; and it may be done in the arm, ancle, jugular vein,frontal vein, veins under the tongue, and on the back of the hand,&c. In whatever part, however, venesection is performed, abandage must be applied between that part and the heart. As itis often necessary, in order to raise the vein, to make the bandagepretty tight, it will be proper in such cases, as soon as the bloodbegins to flow, to slacken it a little. The bandage ought to be ap-plied at least an inch, or an inch and a half from the place wherethe puncture is intended to be made. Thus, the return of theblood through the vein is stopped, the vein swells, becomes con-spicuous, and when opened, bleeds much more freely than wouldotherwise happen.

Persons not skilled in anatomy ought never to bleed with thelancet in a vein that lies over an artery or a tendon, if they canavoid it.* The former may easily be known from its pulsation orbeating, and the latter from its feeling hard or tight like a whip-cord under the finger.

It was formerly a rule, even among those who had the charac-ter of being regular practitioners, to bleed their patients in certaindiseases till they fainted. Surely a more ridiculous rule could notbe proposed. One person will faint at the very sight of a lancet,

* Persons not skilled in anatomy ought never to bleed at all. The risk is greater thanthe benefit j as the advantage to be derived from such a step must depend on practica]knowledge. Ed.