at the circumstance of the consumptions of pregnant women being stopped
in their progress during pregnancy, at which time their blood may be
supposed to be in part deprived of its oxygene, by oxygenating the blood of
the foetus, is a forceable argument in favour of this theory; which must
soon be confirmed or confuted by his experiments. See Essay on Scurvy,
Consumption, &c. by Dr. Beddoes. Murray. London. Also Letter to Dr. Darwin,
by the same. Murray. London.

* * * * *

SECT. XXIX.

ON THE RETROGRADE MOTIONS OF THE ABSORBENT SYSTEM.

I. _Account of the absorbent system._ II. _The valves of the absorbent
vessels may suffer their fluids to regurgitate in some diseases._ III.
_Communication from the alimentary canal to the bladder by means of the
absorbent vessels._ IV. _The phenomena of diabetes explained._ V. 1.
_The phenomena of dropsies explained._ 2. _Cases of the use of
foxglove._ VI. _Of cold sweats._ VII. _Translations of matter, of
chyle, of milk, of urine, operation of purging drugs applied
externally._ VIII. _Circumstances by which the fluids, that are effused
by the retrograde motions of the absorbent vessels, are distinguished._
IX. _Retrograde motions of vegetable juices._ X. _Objections answered._
XI. _The causes, which induce the retrograde motions of animal vessels,
and the medicines by which the natural motions are restored._

_N.B. The following Section is a translation of a part of a Latin
thesis written by the late Mr. Charles Darwin, which was printed with
his prize-dissertation on a criterion between matter and mucus in 1780.
Sold by Cadell, London._

I. _Account of the Absorbent System._

1. The absorbent system of vessels in animal bodies consists of several
branches, differing in respect to their situations, and to the fluids,
which they absorb.

The intestinal absorbents open their mouths on the internal surfaces of the
intestines; their office is to drink up the chyle and the other fluids from
the alimentary canal; and they are termed lacteals, to distinguish them
from the other absorbent vessels, which have been termed lymphatics.

Those, whose mouths are dispersed on the external skin, imbibe a great
quantity of water from the atmosphere, and a part of the perspirable
matter, which does not evaporate, and are termed cutaneous absorbents.

Those, which arise from the internal surface of t