A dissertation upon the cholera infantum : to which are added, rules and regulations, as preventive means of the autumnal diseases of children : which gained the Boylstonian prize, for the year 1803 / by James Mann.

  • Mann, James, 1759-1832.
Date:
1804
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A dissertation upon the cholera infantum : to which are added, rules and regulations, as preventive means of the autumnal diseases of children : which gained the Boylstonian prize, for the year 1803 / by James Mann. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    juice, and the bile ? It is prefumed, it will not at this day be contended, that digeftion is merely a fermentative, or putrefactive procefs. From the foft and pulpy fubftance of the liver ; from the flownefs with which the bile is fecreted ; from the blood, fupplied for this purpofe, wholly by a vein, as it is fully demonftrated, that no part of it is fecreted from the arterial blood ; from the numberlefs points or glands from which this fluid is feparated, have we not much reafon to admire, that this organ does not more frequently become torpid, and incapable of performing its of- fice ? efpecially, when we obferve that other organs, lefs complicated, are eafily deranged and put out of order. The bile is of a full yellow colour, with a tincture of green. From the refult of Dr. Saun- ders* experiments,* it contains a rdinous bitter, and a portion of foda (marine alkali) ; on which account, it is fuited to corred acids, and check putrid fermentation. Thefe things being premifed, it will not be ob- jected, that there is often a redundance of bile in the alimentary canal, more efpecially, after its fiippref- iion, either from an obftruction of the hepatic duels, or, from a torpor of that vifcus. That this fuperabundance may occafion a diarrhaa we grant ; but, we fuppofe at the fame time, it may often be falutary. Of this kind5> are thofe critical diarrbaas, fo called by fyftematic writers, which frequently accompany the folution of fevers. The prefence of the bile, in the ftools of infants when difordered, even nurfes confider as a favour- able circumftance, and from its appearance, predict a return of their health. That children often vomit and purge bile, with the contents of the alimentary canal, will not be contradicted \ but, is it conclufive, that the bile fo