Sup. I. 12. 12. THEORY OF FEVER, 4S9 



trates the fyftem not by the abforbent veflels, but by external 

 influence ; whence the ufe of hot fomentation to the head in tor- 

 por of the brain ; and the ufe of hot bath in cafes of general de- 

 bility, which has been much too frequently neglected from a pop- 

 ular error occafioned by the unmeaning application of the word, 

 relaxation to animal power. If the fluid of heat could be di- 

 rected to pafs through particular parts of the body with as lit- 

 tle diffufion of its influence, as that of electricity in the (hocks 

 from the coated jar, it might be employed with itill greater ad- 

 vantage. 



Fourthly. The ufe of repeated fmall electric fhocks through 

 the region of the ftomach might be of fervice in fevers with 

 weak puhe, and well deferves a trial •, twenty or thirty fmall 

 {hocks twice a day for a week or two would be a promiiing ex= 

 periment. 



Fifthly. A blifter on the back, or fides, or on the pit of the 

 ftomach, repeated in fuccellion, by ftimulating the fkin frequent- 

 ly ftrengthens the action of the ftomach by exciting the fenfo- 

 rial power of aiTociation j thi> efpecially in thofe fevers where 

 the fkin of the extremities, as of the hands or nofe or ears, foon- 

 er becomes cold, when expofed to the air, than ufual. 



Sixthly. The action of the ftomach may be increafed by pre- 

 venting too great expenditure of fenforial power in the link 

 of previous motion with which it is catenated, efpecially if the 

 action of that link be greater than natural. Thus as the 

 capillaries of the fkin act too violently in fevers with weak 

 pulfe, if thefe are expofed to cold air or cold water, the fenfori- 

 al power, which previoufly occanoned their orgafm, becomes 

 accumulated, and tends to increafe the action of the ftomach j 

 thus in thofe fevers with weak pulfe and hot fkin, if the ftomach 

 be ftimulated by repeated fmall dofes of bark and wine or opi- 

 um, and be further excited at the fame time by accumulation of 

 fenforial power occafioned by rendering the capillaries torpid by 

 cold air or water, this twofold application is frequently attended 

 with vifible good effect. 



By thus ftimulating the torpid ftomach into greater action, 

 the motions of the heart and arteries will likewife be increafed 

 by the greater excitement of the power of aiTociation. And the 

 capillaries of the fkin will ceafe to act fo violently, from their 

 not poiTefting fo great a fuperfluity of fenforial power as during 

 the greater quiefcence of the ftomach and of the heart and arte- 

 ries. Which is in fume circumftances fimilar to the curious 

 phenomenon mentioned in Clafs IV. 2. 2. 10. ; where, by cov- 

 ering the chill feet with flannel at the eruption of the frnall-pox, 

 the points of the flannel ftimulate the fkin of the feet into greater 



Vol. II. P p p action, 



