TREATMENT OF INFLAMMATION. 199 



similar structures of the body, enables us to under- 

 stand how a suddenly increased influx of blood, con- 

 sequent on an excited action of the heart, causes a 

 morbid accumulation of fluid in, and distension of, 

 the arterial system, while an almost equal increase 

 in the activity of the circulation, if slowly and gra- 

 dually induced, may exist without the production of 

 any unpleasant or injurious consequences. 



Passing from the study of the pathological phe- 

 nomena following an unnatural accumulation of 

 blood in the aorta and general arterial system, we 

 have now to examine some of the questions con- 

 nected with a similar derangement of the circulation 

 in the arteries of a particular part or organ. That 

 an undue accumulation of blood in these vessels, 

 with increased pressure of the detained fluid, and, 

 consequently, increased rapidity of the capillary 

 blood-currents, is the pathological condition essen- 

 tially constituting the local disorder known as deter- 

 mination of blood, cannot, I think, be doubted ; for 

 the unusual fulness of the arteries of the part is, in 

 these cases, evidenced by their increased pulsation, 

 while the symptoms referrible to the capillary circu- 

 lation indicate rather unwonted activity than per- 

 version of its natural functions : and in this case, as 

 in that which has just been considered, it is evident 

 that the unnatural accumulation and pressure of the 

 affected blood-columns can only arise from one or 

 both of two causes ; viz. increased influx or dimi- 

 nished efflux. Either of these will clearly suffice 

 for the production of the phenomena which consti- 

 tute determination of blood ; and I cannot urider- 



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