Sup. I. 2. 5. THEORY OF FEVER. 45 i 



vomited up, does that of the ftomach; this torpor of the itom- 

 ach is liable to continue after the cold paroxyfm ceafes, and to 

 convert intermittent fevers into continued ones by its direct 

 fympathy with the heart and arteries. See article 10. of this 

 Supplement. 



5. If the meninges of the brain fympathize with other torpid 

 parts, or are primarily affected, delirium, ftupor, and perhaps 

 hydrocephalus internus, occur, fee Clafs II. 1. 7. 1. and I. 2. 5. 

 10 ; and fometimes the pulfe becomes flow, producing parefis 

 initead of fever. But if the membranes, which cover the nruf- 

 cles about the head, or of the pericranium, become torpid by 

 their fympathy with other torpid parts, or are primarily affect- 

 ed, a head-ach fupervenes ; which however generally ceafes 

 with the cold paroxyfm of fever. For as when the fenforial 

 power of volition is exhaufted by labour, a few hours, or half a 

 folar day, palled in ileep recruits the fyftem by accumulation of 

 this fenforial power ; fo when the fenforial power of irritation is 

 exhaufted, one or two folar or lunar days of reft or quiefcence 

 of the affected part will generally reftore its action by accumu- 

 lation of irritability, and confequent increafe of affociation, as in 

 hemicrania, Clafs IV. 2. 2. 8. But when the heart and arteries 

 become torpid, either primarily, or by their fympathy with the 

 ftomach, this accumulation of the fenforial power of irritation 

 can take place but flowly ; at to reji is death ! This explains the 

 caufe of the duration of fevers with weak pulfe, which con- 

 tinue a quarter, or half, or three quarters, or a whole lunation, 

 or itill longer, before fufHcient accumulation of irritability can 

 be produced to reltore their natural itrength of notion. 



6. If the abforbent veflels, which are ipread around the neck 

 of the bladder, become torpid by their direct fympathy with the 

 abforbents of the (kin in cold fits of fever ; fcbe urine, which is 

 poured into the bladder in but fmall quantity from the torpid 

 kidneys, has neverthelefs none of its aqueous faline part reab- 

 forbed ; and this faline part ftimuiates the bladder to empty if> 

 felf frequently, though the urine is in fmall quantity. Which 

 is not therefore owing to any fuppofed fpafm of the bladder, for 

 the action of it in excluding the urine is weak, and as much con- 

 trollable by the will as in ordinary micturition. 



7. If the beginnings or abforbent mouths of the venous iyf- 

 tem remain torpid, petechias or vibices are produced in fevers, 

 fimilar to thofe which are feen in fcurvy without fever. If xhc 

 lkin was frequently moiitened for an hour, and at the fame 1 

 time expofed to the common air, or to oxygen gas, it might c a 

 tribute to turn the black colour of thefe points of extrava fated. 

 blood into icarlet, and thus by increasing its fiimuhis facilitate 



