4.66 THEORY OF FEVER. Sup. I. 8. 7, 



ach, becaufe it is not excited into action ; exactly as the power 

 of irritation becomes accumulated in the hand, when immerfed 

 in fnow ; and this accumulated fenforial power of aflbciation 

 excites the lymphatics of the lungs and of other parts, which are 

 mod nearly aflbciated with thofe of the ftomach, into more en- 

 ergetic actions. Thus the mufcular fibres of the ftomach act 

 with the lymphatics of that organ in direct fympathy ; and the 

 lymphatics of the ftomach acl; in reverfe fympathy with thofe of 

 the lungs and of other parts of the body *, the former of which is 

 caufed by defect of the excitement of the fenforial power of af- 

 fociation, and the latter by the accumulation of it. 



Befides the efficient caufe, as above explained, the final caufe, 

 or convenience, of thefe organic actions are worthy our atten- 

 tion. In this cafe of an acrid drug fwallowed into the ftomach 

 the reverted actions of the mufcular fibres of the ftomach tend 

 to eject its enemy ; the reverted actions of its lymphatics pour 

 a great quantity of fluids into the ftomach for the purp'ofe of di- 

 luting or warning off the noxious drug ; and the increafed ac- 

 tions of the other lymphatics fupply thefe retrograde ones of the 

 ftomach with an inconceivable fupply of fluids, as is feen in 

 Ileus and Cholera. 



7. The inquifitive reader will excufe my continuing this 

 fubject, though perhaps with fome repetitions, as it envelopes 

 the very eflence of fever. When the firft link of a train of ac- 

 tions is excited by exceflive ftimulus, or exceflive irritability, and 

 thus acts with unufual energy by the increafed quantity of irri- 

 tation, thefe increafed motions excite a greater quantity of the 

 fenforial power of aflbciation, which caufes increafed motions 

 in the fecond link, which is catenated with the firft ; and then 

 the exceflive action of this fecond link excites alfo a greater 

 quantity of the fenforial power of aflbciation, which increafes 

 the motions of the third link of this chain of aflbciation, and 

 thus the increafe of the ftimulus on jhe irritative motions, to 

 which the chain of aflbciation is catenated, increafes the action 

 of the whole chain or circle of aflbciated motions. 



After a time the irritative motions become torpid by expendi- 

 ture of the fenforial power of irritation, and then the power of 

 aflbciation alfo becomes lefs exerted, both becaufe it has been in 

 part exhaufted by too great action, and is now lefs excited by 

 the leifened action of the irritative motions, which ufed to ex- 

 cite it. Thefe are both inftances of direct fympathy, and fre- 

 quently conftitute the cold and hot fit of intermittents. 



But though the accumulation of the fenforial power of irri- 

 tation during the quiefcence of fome motion owing to want of 

 ftimulus generally induces torpor in the firft link of the train of 



aiTociate^ 



