Class I. 2. 5. 7. OF IRRITATION. 1 29 



been ufed with advantage by Dr. Darwin of Shrewsbury. See 



Cl.afs IV. 2. 1. 15. 



7. OifaBus imminutus* Inactivity of the fenfe of fmell. 

 From our habits of trufting to the art of cookery, and not exam- 

 ining our food by the fmell as other animals do, our fenfe of 

 fmell is lefs perfect than theirs. See Sect. XVI. 5. Glafs IV. 2. 

 j. 16. 



M. M. Mild enhmes. 



8. Gujius 'imrtunutus. Want of tafte is very common in fevers, 

 owing frequently to the drynefs or fcurf of the tongue, or exter- 

 nal organ of that fenfe, rather than to any injury of the nerves of 

 taite. See Clafs I. 1. 3. i.IV. 2. 1. 16. 



M. M. Warm fubacid liquids taken frequently. 



9. Tacius imminutus. Numbnefs is frequently complained of 

 in levers, and in epilepfy. and the touch is fometimes impaired 

 by the drynefs of the cuticle of the fingers. See Clafs IV. 2. 1. 16. 



When the fenfe of touch is impaired by the compreihon of the 

 nerve, as in fitting long with one thigh eroded over the other, 

 the limb appears larger, when we touch it with our hands, 

 which is to be afcribed to the indiftinctnefs of the fenfation of 

 f.ouch, and may be explained in the fame manner as the appar- 

 ent largenefs of objects fcen through a mift. In this hit cafe 

 the minute parts of an object, as iuppofe of a diftant boy, are 

 feen lefs diflinctlv. and therefore we inftantly conceive them to 

 be further from the eye, and in con'fequence that the whole fub- 

 tends a larger angle, and thus we believe the boy to be a man. 

 So when any one's fingers are preffed on a benumbed limb, the 

 fenfation produced is lefs than it fhould be, judging from vihbie 

 circumftances ; we therefore conceive, that fomething interve- 

 ned between the object: and the fenfe, for it is felt as if a blank- 

 et was put between them ; and that not being vifibly the caie, 

 we judge that the limb is f welled. 



The fenfe of touch is alfo liable to be deceived from the ac- 

 quired habits of one part of it acting in the vicinity of another 

 part of it. Thus if the middle finger be crofled over either of 

 the fingers next to it, and a nut be felt by the two ends of the 

 fingers fo croffed at the fame time, the nut appears as if it was 

 two nuts. And laftly, the fenfe of touch is liable to be deceived 

 by preconceived ideas \ which we believe to be excited by exter- 

 nal objects, even when we are awake. It has happened to me 

 more than once, and I fuppofe to mod others, to have put my 

 hands into an empty bafon, (landing in an obfeure corner or a 

 room, to wain them, which I believed to contain cold water, and 

 have inftantiy perceived a fenfation cf warmth, contrary to that 

 which I expected to have felt. 



Voi.. II. -i In 



