Sup. I. 3. 3 THEORY OF FEVER. 453 



times happens to the liver ; and thefe from their tendency to 

 more complete torpor are afterwards liable to give occafion to a 

 return of the cold fit. If the cellular abforbents do not com- 

 pletely recover their activity, a pale and bloated countenance 

 with fwelled legs marks their want of action. 



3. As the termination of the cold fit is owing to the accumu- 

 lation of the fenforial power of irritation and of afTochtion du- 

 ring the previous quiefcence of the fyftem ; and as thofe parts, 

 which are in perpetual action during health, are more fubjecr, 

 to this accumulation during their torpor, or quiefcence •, one 

 fhould have imagined, that the heart and arteries wouid acquire 

 this accumulation of fenforial power fooner or in greater degree 

 than other parts. This indeed fo happens, where the pulfe is 

 previoufly ftrong, as in febris irritativa ; cr where another fen- 

 forial power, as that of fenfatiqn, is exerted on the arterial fyf- 

 tem, as in inflammations. The heart and arteries in thefe cafes 

 foon recover from their torpor, and are exerted with great vi- 

 olence. 



Many other parts of the fyftem fubjecr, to perpetual motion 

 in health may reft for a time without much inconvenience 

 to the whole ; as when the fingers of fome people become cold 

 and pale j and during this complete reft great accumulation of 

 irritability may be produced. But where the heart and ar- 

 teries are previoufly feeble, they cannot much diminifh their 

 actions, and certainly cannot reft entirely, for that would be 

 death ; and therefore in this cafe their accumulation of the fen- 

 forial power of irritation or of afTociation is flowly produced, 

 and a long fever fupervenes in coniequence *, or fudden death, 

 as frequently happens, terminates the cold fit. 



Whence it appears, that in fevers with weak pulfe, if the ac- 

 tion of the heart, arteries, and capillaries could be diminifhed, 

 or flopped for a fhort time without occasioning the death of the 

 patient, as happens in cold bathing, or to perfons apparently 

 drowned, that a great accumulation of the fenforial powers of 

 irritation or of aflbciation might foon be produced, and the pulfe 

 become ftronger, and confequently flower, and the fever ceafe. 

 Hence cold ablution mav be of fervice in fevers with weak 

 pulfe, by preventing the expenditure and producing accumula- 

 tion of the fenforial power of irritation or aflbciation. Stupor 

 may be ufeful on the fame account. Could a centrifugal fwing 

 be ferviceable for this purpofe, either by placing the head or t! e 

 feet in the outward part of the circle, as defcribed in Art. 1 ;. ;. 

 of this Supplement ? 



IV. Return 



