When the inflammatory action is slowly induced, whether by a bruise,
or any other cause, acting directly on the part, or by sympathetic
union with another part, we find, that the tumor which is consequent
to this, seldom manifests a disposition to remove quickly, or assume
the healing process. The part neither performs any distinct and acute
inflammatory action, nor does it resume its natural condition and
appearance, but remains in a new state, different from either, which I
will call the state of simple schirrus[128]. If this state, which may
follow the application of the common exciting causes of inflammation
in any part, take place in cellular substance, or similar parts,
which are possessed of no glandular structure, then a chronic tumor is
produced, which is either slowly diminished by absorption, or at last
unable to carry on its actions in perfection, being, in some respect,
insulated, and deprived of the support of the surrounding parts[129];
a diseased action, or morbid performance of its actions, takes place;
a slow inflammatory condition is produced[130], and at last ulceration
succeeds. This, in general, forms pseudo-cancer, provided that the
constitution be simple, that is to say, healthy: But if it take place
in a scrophulous habit, the tumor is apt to become scrophulous, having
its morbid actions modified by the morbid condition of the system. If
this event take place in a lymphatic gland, instead of the cellular
substance, then the tumor is still more apt to become affected with
scrophulous inflammation, in consequence of even a very trifling
scrophulous modification of the habit. If this state be produced in
a secretory gland, the affection is somewhat different from that in
simple parts, or those which do not secrete; because the inflammatory
action becomes somewhat modified by the natural secreting action of
the part; and, in this point of view, the gland may be considered as
possessing a specific constitution, although the general constitution
be simple; for, naturally possessing a peculiar mode of action, it
follows, that new actions induced in such a part, ought to be performed
in a different manner from the same actions in parts which naturally
do not possess this peculiarity, and that the actions ought to be
specifically different. When these parts are attacked with acute simple
inflammation, it differs from inflammation in the cellular substance in
certain circumstances, and particularly in being much more tedious; but
when the nature of the part is still farther altered by the accession
of a slow inflammatory action, which operates in the manner above
described, then it assumes a specific inflammation, which ends in
ulceration. The exact, or specific nature, of this, is various; and the
state, which we call cancerous, is probably only one of the varieties
of this morbid inflammatory action; and whether the part shall assume
this variety, or some other variation, as, for instance, pseudo-cancer,
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