Sup. I. 1 6. 6. THEORY OF FEVER. 50* 



ciation, which contributes along with the irritation caufed by 

 their fpecific ftimuli to actuate the whole fanguiferous, fecern- 

 ing, and abforbent veffels ; and along with thcfe the ftomach,, 

 which poffeffes perhaps greater mobility, or promptitude to tor- 

 por or to orgafm, than any other part. And after a time all thefe 

 parts recover their actions by the accumulation of their fenfori- 

 al power of aflbciation. But the fpleen not recovering its ac- 

 tion from the accumulation of its power of irritation, as appear- 

 ed from the continuance of the tumour, itill affects the ftomach 

 by its defective irritative motions cealing to excite the aflbcia- 

 tion, which ought to contribute to actuate it. 



Hence the ftomach continues torpid in refpect to its motions, 

 but accumulates its power of aflbciation ; which is not excited 

 into action by the defective motions of the fpleen ; this accu- 

 mulation of the fenforial power of ailbciation now by its fuper- 

 abundance actuates the next link of affociate motions, which 

 confifts of the heart and arteries, into greater energy of action 

 than natural, and thus caules fever with ftrong pulfe -, which, 

 as it was fuppofed to be mod frequently excited by increafe of 

 irritation, is called irritative fever or fynocha. 



Similar to this in the fmall-pox, which is given by inocula- 

 tion, the ftomach is affected fecondarily, when the fever com- 

 mences *, and hence in this fmall-pox the pulfations of the heart 

 and arteries are frequently ftronger than natural, but never 

 weaker, for the reafons above given. Whereas in that fmall-pox, 

 which is caufed by the ftomach being primarily affected, by the 

 contagious matter being fwallowed with the faliva, whether the 

 tonfils are at the fame time affected or not, the pulfations of the 

 heart and arteries become weak, and the inirritative fever is 

 produced, as explained above, along with the confluent fmall- 

 pox. This unfolds the caufe of the mildnefj of the inoculated 

 fmall-pox •, becaufe in this difeafe the ftomach is affected fecond- 

 arily, whereas in the natural fmall-pox it is frequently affect- 

 ed primarily by iwallowing the contagious matter mixed with 

 faliva. 



In the meafles I fuppofe the contagious matter to be diffolved 

 in the air, and therefore not liable to be mixed with the faliva ; 

 whereas the variolous matter is probably only diffufed in the air, 

 and thence more readily mixed with the faliva in the mouth dur- 

 ing relpiration. This difference appears more probable, as the 

 fmall-pox I believe is always taken at a lefs diftance from the 

 difeafed perfon than is neceffary to acquire the meafles. The 

 contagion of the meafles affects the membranes of the noftriis, 

 and the fecretion of tears in confequence, but never I fufpect 

 the ftomach primarily, but always fecondarily i whence the pul- 



fation 



