£o8 THEORY OF FEVER. Sup. I. 16. 9. 



•fected primarily by previous exhauftion of its irritability by ftim- 

 ulus, as of contagious matter fwallowed into it. The heart and 

 arteries acl feebly from deficient excitement of the power of 

 alTociation, owing to the torpor of the ftomach, with which they 

 are catenated ; but the accumulation of the power of aflbciation, 

 thus produced in organs fubjecl to perpetual and energetic mo- 

 tion, is fo great, as to affect the next link of the aflbciate train ; 

 which confifts of the capillaries of the Ikin or other glands ; thefe 

 therefore are exerted perpetually with great increafe of action. 



The continued fevers with ftrong pulfe terminate by the re- 

 duction or exhauftion of the fenforial power by violent action 

 of the whole fyftem ; which is followed either by return of 

 health with the natural quantity of irritability, and of afTociabil- 

 ity, Gr by a total deftruction of them both, and confequent 

 death. 



In continued fevers with weak pulfe the ftomach remains 

 torpid during the whole courfe of the fever ; and at length by 

 the recovery of its irritability and fenfibility effects the cure of 

 it. Which generally happens about the firft, fecond, or third 

 quarter of the lunar period, counted from the commencement 

 of the difeafe, or continues a whole lunation, and fometimes 

 more ; which gave rife to what are termed critical days. See 

 Sect. XXXVI. 4. on this fubjecl. * If the ftomach does not re- 

 cover from its torpor, the patient becomes emaciated, and dies 

 exhaufted bv the continuance of the increafed aclion of the ca- 



J 



pillaries and abforbents, and the want of nourifhment. 



The cure of continued fever with weak pulfe confifts firft in 

 weakening the undue aclion of the capillaries of the {kin by ab- 

 lution with cold water from 32 to 80 degrees of heat ; or by ex- 

 pofmg them to cool air. Secondly by invigorating the actions 

 of the ftomnch, by decreafing them for a time, and thence ac- 

 cumulating the power of irritation, as by an emetic, or by iced 

 water, or iced wine. Or by increafe of flimulus, as by bark, 

 wine, opium, and food, in fmall quantities frequently repeated. 

 Or by renewing the aclion of the ftomach by flight eleclric 

 fhocks. Or by fomenting it frequently with water heated to 96 

 or 100 degrees. Or laftly by exciting its power of affociation 

 with other parts of the fyftem, as by a blifter ; which fucceeds 

 beft when the extremities are cool ; or by fwinging, as in verti- 

 go rotatoria. 



If by the flimulus of the Peruvian bark on the fibres of the 

 ftomach, they regain their due aclion, the heart and arteries alfo 

 regain their due aclion ; as their fenforial power of ailbciation 

 is now excited, and expended as ufual. And as there is then 

 no accumulation of fenforial power in the heart and arteries, the 



capillaries 



