Sup. I. 1 6. 10. THEORY OF FEVER. 509 



capillaries ceafe to act with too great energy, and the fever is 

 cured. 



Thirdly. If the heart and arteries could be themfelves ftim- 

 ulated into greater action, although the ftomach remained tor- 

 pid, they might probably by expending a greater quantity of the 

 fenforial power of irritation, prevent an accumulation of the 

 fenforial power of aflbciation, (for thefe may pollibly be only 

 different modes of action of the fpirit of animation,) and thus 

 the too great action of the capillaries might be prevented and 

 the fever ceafe. This new mode of cure might poffibly be ac- 

 complished, if the patient was to breathe a gallon or two of pure 

 or diluted oxygene gas frequently in a day ; which by patting 

 through the moid membranes of the lungs and uniting with the 

 blood might render it more (limulant, and thus excite the heart 

 and arteries into greater action. 



Fourthly. Greater energy might probably be given to the 

 whole fyftem, and particularly to thole parts which act too fee- 

 bly in levers, as the ftomach and the heart and arteries, if the 

 action of the fecerning verTels of the brain could be increafed in 

 energy ; this is probably one effect of all thofe drugs, which 

 when given in large quantity induce intoxication, as wine and 

 opium. And when given with great caution in lmall quanti- 

 ties uniformly repeated, as from three drops to five of the tinc- 

 ture of opium, but not more, every fix hours, I believe they fup- 

 ply an efficacious medicine in fevers with great arterial debility ; 

 and the more fo, if the Peruvian bark be exhibited alternately 

 every fix hours along with them. There are other means of ex- 

 citing the veifels of the brain into action ; as firft by decreafing 

 the ltimulus of heat by temporary cold fomentation ; fecondly, 

 increafing the ftimulus of heat by long continued warm fomen- 

 tation ; thirdly, by electricity, as very fmall (hocks paned through 

 it in all directions ; and laflly by bliflers on the head. All thofe 

 require to be ufed with great caution, and especially where there 

 exitts an evident Itupor, as the removing of that is I believe fre- 

 quently injurious. See itupor, Clafs I. 2. 5. 10. 



The cure of fever with ftrong pulfe confifls in the repeated 

 ufe of vencfection, gentle cathartics, diluents ; medicines pro- 

 ducing ficknefs, as antimonials, digitalis ; or the refpiration of 

 carbonated hydrogen ; or by refpiration of atmofpheric air low- 

 ered by a mixture of hydrogen, azote, or carbonic acid gas, or 

 by comprelfing the brain by whirling in a decumbent pofture, 

 as if lying acrofs a horizontal mill-itone. See the former parts 

 of this fupplement for the methods of cure both of fevers with 

 ftrong and weak pulfe. 



10. When any difficulty occurs in determining the weak 



pulfe 



