THE HARVEIAN ORATION, 1904 15
various diseases as they are mixed with the blood; four vessels convey fluid and air to the intestine and spleen; two go to the bladder and from them the renal secretion is produced. Four vessels convey fluid and air to the lower abdomen, going to the right and left sides; from them is formed the alvine excretion." These vessels here de- scribed are clearly the iliac arteries and veins. When the heart is diseased its work is imperfectly performed the vessels proceeding from the heart become inactive, so that you cannot feel them' [no doubt this is a reference to changes in the pulse], 'they become full of air and water. . . . When the heart is dilated the vessels from it contain effete matter. If a suppurative or putre- factive disease occur in the body' [abscess, I imagine, for which various sites are suggested] 'then the heart causes it' [it being probably purulent or septic material] to traverse the vessels, fever or inflammation of various kinds occur in the body, the heart is in a morbid state while the fever continues.' [It may be noted in passing that the septic infection is asserted to enter the body by the left eye]. In heart disease there is either disturbance of the action of the heart or the heart is congested or overfilled with blood, the heart is moved downwards, comes nearer the praecordia, and weakness and nausea occur.... When the disease affects the basic 1. Fo. 100 2. Fo, 101
