Sup. I. 1 6. 9. THEORY OF FEVER. 507 



fenforial power by great previous exertions of fome parts of the 

 fyftem, as of the limbs by great labour or exercife, or of the 

 ftomach by great ftimulus, as by contagious matter fwaliowed 

 with the faliva, or by much wine or opium previously taken into 

 it. Or laftly a torpor of a part may be occafioned by fome me- 

 chanic injury, as by a comprefhon of the nerves of the part, or 

 of their origin in the brain ; as the fitting long with one leg 

 croiTed over the other occafions numbnefs, and as a torpor of 

 the ftomach with vomiting frequently precedes paralytic ftrokes 

 of the limbs. 



As ileep is produced, either by defect of ftimulus, or by pre- 

 vious exhauftion of fenforial power ; fo the accumulation of the 

 .fenforial power of volition in thofe mufcles and organs of fenfe, 

 which are generally obedient to it, awakens the deeping perfon ; 

 when it has increased the quantity of voluntarity fo much as to 

 overbalance the defect of ftimulus in one cafe, and the exhauf- 

 tion of fenforial power in the other ; which latter requires a 

 much longer time of fleep than the former. So the cold par- 

 oxyfm of fever is produced either by defect of ftimulus, or by 

 previous exhauftion of the fenforial power of fome part of the 

 fyftem ; and the accumulation of the fenforial power of irrita- 

 tion in that part renews the action of it, when it has increafed 

 its irritability fo much as to overbalance the defect ot ftimulus in 

 one cafe, and the exhauftion of fenforial power in the other ; 

 which latter requires a much longer torpor or cold lit than the 

 former. 



But in the cold paroxyfm of fever, befides the torpor of one 

 part of the fyftem from defeat of irritation, the remainder of it 

 becomes torpid owing to defect of excitement of the ienforial 

 power of afTociation by the leffened action of the part firft affect- 

 ed. This torpor of the general fyftem remains, till the accumu- 

 lation of the fenforial power of afTociation has increafed the af- 

 fociability fo much as to overbalance the defect of the ex- 

 citement of afTociation ; then the torpor ceafes, and if the firft 

 affected part has recovered its activity, the other parts are all 

 thrown into excefs of action by their increafed affociability, and 

 the hot fit of fever is produced. 



9. In the continued fevers with ftrong pulfe the ftomach is 

 affected feeondarily, and thus acts feebly from deficient excite- 

 ment of the power of afTociation ; but the accumulation of the 

 power of afTociation thus produced in an organ fubject to per- 

 petual and energetic action, is fo great as to affect the next link 

 of the affociate train, which confifts of the heart and arteries ; 

 fhefe therefore are exerted perpetually with increafe of action. 



In continued fevers with weak pulfe the torpid ftomach is af- 

 fected 



