186 ON THE NATURE AND PRINCIPLES OF 



am content to refer to the operation of a very simple 

 physical cause. "\Vith them, however, I consider 

 inflammation to be, in its essence, merely " an ex- 

 treme degree of a natural and healthy action . . . 

 occurring in parts where, or under circumstances 

 when, its continuance is likely to disturb the nervous 

 system, and thus affect the health of the individual, 

 or to prove injurious or inconvenient from the effects 

 to which it may give rise."* 



VII. 



OF Till: MOUIllU EFFECTS PRODUCED BY AN UNN ATI K \ I.I.V 1N- 

 < ;;l \S1.I> l'lvl>MRi: OF T11E BLOOD CONTAINED WITHIN THE 

 AKTEKIAL SYSTEM. 



HAVING thus endeavoured to show that an anormal 

 increase in the lateral pressure of the blood contained 

 within the minute vessels of the affected part, is the 

 immediate cause of those pathological phenomena 

 which arc considered to constitute the disease termed 

 inflammation, it no\v remains to examine the opera- 

 tion of the causes which produce that allied local 

 disorder of the circulation generally known as deter- 

 mination of blood. 



Tliis disorder, as its name implies, is an effect of 



* An Inquiry, &c. ]>. (i I. 



