From what has been said, it will appear, that I consider the scrophulous inflammation, or what has in common language been called scrophula, merely as an accidental circumstance, occurring in a scrophulous constitution; but it is by much the most dangerous and troublesome effect of the peculiarity of constitution. It has likewise a very evident effect in increasing this condition of the system; for we find, that the probability of scrophula appearing in a child is, cæteris paribus, correspondent to the presence or absence of scrophulous inflammation in the parent; or, in other words, that those who have either at the time of marriage, or before it, had scrophulous inflammation, are more likely to have their children strongly scrophulous, than others of the same family, who have not had inflammation. It is likewise certain, that if, by any cure, we can, for one or two generations, prevent the appearance of scrophulous inflammation, the children will become less and less diseased, or have less peculiarity of constitution; but if, by any accident, scrophulous inflammation be in one of the descendents excited, even in a slight degree, his immediate progeny will be more diseased than he himself before the induction of the inflammation[88]. [88] Some gentlemen have denied that scrophula was a hereditary disease; but it is unnecessary to offer any argument on this subject. With regard to the exciting causes of scrophulous inflammation, I may remark, that they are similar in kind to those capable of inducing simple inflammation; but they frequently operate more powerfully; that is to say, causes which would scarcely induce inflammation in a healthy person, may induce a local disease, and inflammation, in a scrophulous habit; because the different parts of the body perform their functions less healthily in a strongly scrophulous person, and are more easily deranged. In every system, those parts which are most delicate, or require the greatest perfection of action in order to keep them right, are most easily deranged. Now, in scrophulous people, the natural action being modified, the body becomes more delicate, and is more susceptible of derangement, especially those parts which naturally are delicate[89], or require a perfection of action. The glands seem to be amongst the most delicate organs; for they have not only to perform the formative, or nutritive function, in common with every other part, but they have also to perform a separate and distinct function, or change the nature of certain fluids which are brought to them. It is on account of the natural delicacy of the glandular system being increased by the diseased condition of the general system, and of the exposure of the lymphatic glands to the action of stimulating matter, taken up by the absorbents on the surface, as, for instance, matter from scabs on the head of children, that this species of inflammation most commonly appears in the lymphatic system; but this system does not seem to be