328 DISEASES Class III. i. 2. 2 p 



changed fuddenly by ocular fenfation, or reafon. Yet great 

 perfeveran.ee in the frequently prefenting contrary ideas will 

 fometime (lowly remove this hallucination, or in great length 

 of time ilivion, or forgetfuinefs, performs a cure, by other 

 means in vain attempted. 



? :. Tabes imaginaria. This imaginary difeafe, or hallucina- 

 ti, is caufed by the fuppofed too great frequency of parting 

 with the femen, and had lon^ impoied upon the phyfician as 

 well as the patient, till Mr. John Hunter firft endeavoured to 

 (hew, that in general the morbid effects of this pollution were 

 in the imagination -, and that thofe were only liable to thofe ef- 

 fects in general, who had been terrified by the villanous books, 

 which prete:; :. 10 prevent or to cure it, but which were purpofelv 

 written to vend fome quack medicine. Mod of thofe unhappy 

 patients, whom I have feen, had evidently great impreffion of 

 fear and felf-condemnation on their minds, and might be led to 

 make contradictory complaints in almoft any part of the body, 

 and if their confellions could be depended On, had not ufed this 

 pollution to any great excefs. 



M. M. 1. Allure them if the lofs of the femen happens but 

 twice a week, it will not injure them. 2. Marry them. The 

 lad is a certain cure ; , whether the difeafe be real or imaginary, 

 Cold partial bath, and aflringent medicines frequently taken, on- 

 ly recal the mind to the difeafe, or to the delinquency ; and 

 thence increafe the imaginary efFecls and the real caufe, if fuch 

 exifts. Mr. — — *■ deftroyed himfelf to get free from the pain 

 of fear of the fuppofed ill confequences of felf-pollution, without 

 any other apparent difeafe ; whofe parents I had in vain advifed 

 to marry him, if poffible. 



24. Sympathia aliena. Pity. Our fympathy with the pleaf- 

 ures and pains of others diftinguiihes men from other animals ; 

 and is probably the foundation of what is termed our moral fenfe ; 

 and the fource of all our virtues. See Seel:. XXII. 3. 3. 

 When our fympathy with thofe miferies of mankind, which we 

 cannot alleviate, rifes to excefs, the mind becomes its own tor- 

 mentor ; and we add to the aggregate fum of human mifery, 

 which we ought to labour to diminifh ; as in the following elo- 

 quent lamentation from Akenfide's Pleafures of Imagination* 

 Book II. 1. 200. 



Bark, 



As midnight ftorms, the fecne of human tilings 

 Appear'd before me ; deferts, burning fands, 

 Where the parch'd adder dies ; the frozen fouth ; 

 And defolation blafting all the weft , 



With rapine and with murder. Tyrant power 

 Here fits enthroned in blood ; the baleful charm* 



Of 



