Sup. I. 8. 4. THEORY OF FEVER. 463 



the fenforial power of irritation, which is excited by the ftimu- 

 lus of the blood. 



But during this torpor of the ftomach, and lefs action of the 

 heart and arteries, fo great an accumulation of the fenforial 

 powers of irritation and of afibciation occurs, that it adds to the 

 action of the next link of this vital circle of actions, that is, to 

 that of the cutaneous capillaries. Whence in this fituation the 

 torpor of the ftomach occafions a diminiihed action of the heart 

 and arteries by direct fympathy, and may be faidto occafion an 

 increafed one of the cutaneous capillaries by reverfe fympathy j 

 which conftitute continued fever with weak pulfe. 



Nor is this incieafed action of the capillaries in confequencc 

 of the decreased action of the heart and arteries, as in fevers 

 with weak pulfe, a fmgle fa£t in the animal economy ; though 

 it exifts in this cafe in the greateft degree or duration, becaufe 

 the heart and arteries are perpetually in greater action than any 

 other part of the fyftem. But a fimilar circumftance occurs, 

 when the ftomach is rendered inactive by defective excitement 

 of the fenforial power of aflbciation, as in fea-ficknefs, or in 

 nephritis. In thefe cafes the fenforial power of afTociation be- 

 comes much accumulated in the ftomach, and feems by its fu- 

 perabundance to excite the abforbent fyftem, which is fo nearly 

 connected with it, into great increafe of action ; as is known by 

 the great quantity frequently in thefe fituations rejected by vom- 

 it, which could not otherways be fupplied. It is probable the 

 increafe of digeftion by walking in frofty air, with many other 

 animal facts, may by future observations be found to be depend- 

 ent on this principle, as well as the increafed action of the ca- 

 pillaries in continued fevers with weak pulfe. 



Whereas in continued fever with ftrong pulfe, which may 

 perhaps occur fometimes on the firft day even of the plague, the 

 ftomach with the heart and arteries and the capillaries act by 

 direct fympathy j that is, the ftomach is excited into ftronger 

 action by increafed irritation owing to the ftimulus of conta- 

 gious matter ; thefe ftronger irritative motions of the ftomach 

 excite a greater quantity of the fenforial power of aiTociation, 

 which then actuates the heart and arteries with greater energy, 

 as thefe are catenated with the ftomach •, and in the fame man- 

 ner the increafed actions of the heart and arteries excite a great- 

 er quantity of the fenforial power of aflbciation, which actuates 

 the cutaneous capillaries with increafe of energy. See Oafs 

 IV. 1. 1. 



4. I (hall dwell a little longer on this intricate fubject. The 

 commencement, of fever-hto is known by the inactivity of the 

 cutaneous capillaries, which inactivity is obfervable by the pale- 



n 



