ATTRAHENTS

ATTRAHENTS, ATTRAHENTIA, or ATTRACTIVE Remedies, such Medicines, externally applied, as by their Activity and Warmth penetrate the Pores; and mix with and rarefy any obstructed Matter; so as to render it fit for Discharge, upon laying open the Part by Caustic or Incision. See MEDICINE, CAUSTIC, etc.
Attrahents are the same with what we otherwise call Drawers, Ripeners, Maturantia, Digestives, etc. See RIPENER, DIGESTION, etc.
The principal Simples belonging to this Class are the several Kinds of Fats, or Adipes; the Dungs of Pigeons and Cows; Bran, Yeast, Herring, the Sucking of a Leech, Melilot, Tobacco, Oil, Pitch, Rosin, Frankincense, etc. See each under its proper Articles, FAT, ADEPS, HERRING, OIL, PITCH, ROSIN, FRANKINCENSE, etc.



In many Instances, as the Matter rarefies and grows more fluid by means of such Medicines, the refluent Blood is apt to wash it back into the common Mass; which sometimes does a deal of Mischief; or by making it take up more room upon its Rarefaction, occasions it to distend more the Parts in which it is contained: Upon which a Sense of Pain is excited, and thereby a greater Concourse of Fluid, and consequently a needless Increase of the Tumor. So that Medicines under this Denomination require the most careful Management.

ATTRAHENTS