A Collection of Chirurgical TractsBeckett, William
Science
A Collection of Chirurgical Tracts
Beckett, William
Surgery
Now to account for such remarkable Alterations, in such Subjects,
we are obliged to take notice, that here is the Suppression of the
Evacuation of a Humour, that had been constantly discharged for a long
time; and this, we have before observed, will cause a greater Fulness
and Distention of all the Vessels. Now the Quantity of the Blood being
very much encreased by the Addition of this viscid Juice, the Celerity
of its Motion must be considerably abated, upon which Account it will
enlarge the Diameters of the Vessels, by relaxing their Coats, and pass
with so great a Difficulty through the Capillary Vessels, that if it
arrive at any Part where the Fibres have lost their due Tensity and
Spring, it is disposed to stagnate, and produce an Imposthumation. If
this does not happen, as the Motion of the Blood continues to be very
languid, the Quantity of Spirits filtrated in the Brain will be less
upon two Accounts: _First_, Because as the Blood moves more slowly,
all the Parts of the Body through which it circulates, will receive a
much less Quantity of it in a given Time, than they must have done,
had it moved with a greater Celerity. _Secondly_, The Viscidity of the
Blood, together with it’s Motion diminished will lessen the Quantity of
Spirits, according to the 20th and 22d of Dr _Wainright_’s Propositions
of Animal Secretion.
Now this being so, it is no wonder to observe such an Inactivity of the
Parts, Sleepiness, weak Digestion, _&c._ to attend a Person under such
Circumstances: For the Quantity of Spirits being so much diminished,
the Parts can never be sufficiently influenced by them to perform their
respective Functions with that Force as usual. To this we may add, that
they are in a great measure deprived of their Power and Spring, and
Sensation in general is not near so strong and lively. From hence it is
evident, that when Nature has found a Passage whereby she may disburden
herself of any excrementitious Humours, we ought for a considerable
time to give proper Internals, and make use of some other Method, as by
Issues, or such like, whereby we may divert the Course of the Matter,
which, if I may so say, has been so long together determined to pass
the same way. Beside this Advantage which will accrue by that Method,
there may be near the same Quantity of Humours evacuated; and so those
unhappy Accidents, will be prevented, and the Ulcer cured.
I am perswaded, that it is not without a great deal of Difficulty
that we can sometimes divert the Tendency of Humours to a Part; and I
can bring several Instances of Sores that have been healed, where the
suppressed Matter has discovered it self, by an Aposthume near the
Place where the Sore was, a short time after it had been healed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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