TREATMENT OF INFLAMMATION. 201 



disorder of the circulation to an increased influx of 

 blood consequent on the yielding of the coats of a 

 particular artery. But it seems to me equally pro- 

 Bable, that the same effect the distension of the 

 arterial ramifications by an unnatural accumulation 

 of fluid may result from an increased contraction 

 of, and diminished efflux of blood from, the capillaries 

 of the affected part. The immediate effect of this 

 diminished rate of discharge from the capillaries 

 must necessarily be an accumulation of blood in, and 

 distension of, the more elastic and less contractile 

 tubes situated behind the narrowed vessels ; and in 

 this manner the same phenomena will be induced as 

 from the operation of the former cause. That con- 

 traction of the capillaries of the part is adequate to 

 the causation of this pathological state, cannot be 

 doubted, and various observations on the circulation 

 show that a diminution in the size of the capillary 

 streams does in some cases precede determination of 

 blood : I allude to the phenomena witnessed on the 

 application of stimuli to the transparent tissues of 

 the lower animals ; and the increased activity of the 

 cutaneous circulation after momentary exposure to 

 cold illustrates the operation of the same principle. 



But though from physical reasoning it may be 

 demonstrated that the increased lateral or distending 

 pressure of the affected arterial columns can only 

 arise from some change in the conditions regulating 

 the discharge of blood into and from that system of 

 tubes, it is advisable, in our present state of ignorance 

 of the laws controlling the actions of the blood- 

 vessels, to abstain from adopting either of these 



