Class I. 2. 2. 1, OF IRRITATION. 63 



ORDO II. 



Decreafed Irritation* 



GENUS II. 



Decreaftd Aclion of the Secerning Syjiem, 



These are always attended with decreafe of partial, or of gen- 

 eral heat j for as the heat of animal bodies is the confequence 

 of their various fecretions, and is perpetually pafling away into 

 the ambient air, or other bodies in contact with them ; when 

 thefe fecretions become diminished, or ceafe, the heat of the part 

 or of the whole is foon diminifhed, or ceafes along with them, 



SPECIES. 



1. Frigus febrile. Febrile coldnefs. There is reafon to be- 

 lieve, that the beginning of many fever-fits originates in the qui- 

 efcence of fome part of the abforbent fyftem, efpecially where 

 they have been owing to external cold ; but that, where the 

 coldnefs of the body is not owing to a diminution of external 

 heat, it arifes from the inaction of fome part of the fecerning 

 fyftem. Hence fome parts of the body are hot whilft other 

 parts are cold ; which I fuppcfe gave occafion to error in Mar- 

 tyn's Experiments ; where he fays, that the body is as hot in the 

 cold paroxyfms of fevers as at other times. 



After the fenforial power has been much diminifhed by great 

 preceding activity of the fyftem, as by long continued external 

 heat, or violent exercife, a fudden expofure to much cold produ- 

 ces a torpor both greater in degree and over a greater portion of 

 the fyftem, by fubtracting their accuftomed ftimulus from parts 

 already much deprived of their irritability. Dr. Franklin in a 

 letter to M. Duberge, the French tranflator of his works, men- 

 tions an inftance of four young men, who bathed in a cold 

 fpring after a day's harveft work ; of whom two died on the 

 fpot, a third on the next morning, and the other furvived with 

 difficulty. Hence it would appear, that thofe, who have to trav- 

 el in intenfely cold weather, will fooner perilh, who have pre- 

 vioufly heated themfelves much with drams, than thofe who 

 have only the ftimulus of natural food ; of which I have heard 

 one well at>efted mftance. See Article VII. 2. 3. Clafs III 

 2. 1. 17. 



Frigus chronkum. Permanent coldnefs. Coldnefs of the ex- 



tre mirier 



