4 6B THEORY OF FEVER. Si*. J; 8. 9. 



Thus we fee in affociate motions, which are rendered torpid 

 by defect of excitement, that fometimes a direct, and fometimes 

 a reverfe fympathy fucceeds in the fubfequent links of the chain. 

 But I believe where a torpor of irritative or of the arTociate mo- 

 tions is caufed by a previous too great expenditure or exhauftion 

 of the fenforial powers of irritation or aflbciation, no increafe 

 of action in the fubfequent link ever occurs, or not till after a 

 very long time. 



Thus when the ftomach becomes torpid by previous violent 

 exertion, and confequent exhauftion of the fenforial power of 

 irritation, as after intoxication with wine or opium, or after the 

 exhibition of fome violent emetic drug, the torpor is communi- 

 cated to the heart and arteries, as in continued fevers with 

 weak pulfe. But where the torpor of the ftomach is produced 

 from defective aflbciation, as in fea-ficknefs j or in the flcknefs 

 which occurs, when a ftone ftimulates the ureter ; no torpor 

 is then communicated to the heart and arteries. For in the 

 former cafe there is no accumulation of fenforial power in the 

 ftomach, which was previoufly exhaufted by too great ftimulus $ 

 but in the latter cafe the accumulation of fenforial power in the 

 itomach during its torpor is evinced by this circumftance ; that 

 In fea-ficknefs the patients eat and drink voracioufly at inter- 

 vals ; and the pulfe is generally not affected by the ficknefs oc- 

 casioned by a ftone in the ureter. For the action of the ftom- 

 ach is then leflened, and in confequence becomes retrograde, 

 not owing to the exhauftion of the fenforial power of irritation, but 

 to the want of excitement of the fenforial power of affociation 5 

 which is caufed by the defective action of the ureter, which be- 

 comes occiiuonally torpid by the great ftimulus of the ftone it 

 contains ; or which is caufed by the great exhauftion of fenfori- 

 al power by the pain -, which affects the ureter without exciting 

 inflammation, or increafed action of it. 



9. Thus though the ftomach after the great ftimulus of in- 

 toxication from excefs of wine or opium will continue many 

 hours without accumulation of fenforial power, as appears from 

 the patient's experiencing no appetite at the intervals of fick- 

 nefs j yet after long abftinence from food, at length not only 

 the exhaufted quantity of fenforial power is renewed, but an ac- 

 cumulation of it at length occurs, and hungerreturns. In this fitu- 

 ation the ftomach is generally about a whole day before it regains 

 its ufuai powers of digeftion; but if it has been ftill more violently 

 ftimulated, and its actions further impaired, a ftill more perma- 

 nent torpor, along with a continued fever with weak pulfe is liable 

 to occur ; and a fourth part, or a half, or three-fourths, or a 



whole 



