7 a OF STIMULUS Sect. XII. 7. 6. 



tity of heat for a minute or two by going into the cold bath, a 

 great accumulation of fenforial power is produced j for not on- 

 ly the minute vefTels of the whole external fkin for a time be- 

 come inactive, as appears by their palenefs ; but the minute 

 veilels of the lungs lofe much of their activity alfo by concert 

 with thofe of the (kin, as appears from the difficulty of breath- 

 ing at firft going into cold water. On emerging from the bath 

 the fenforial power is thrown into great exertion by the ftimu- 

 lus of the common degree of the warmth of the atmofphere, and 

 a great production of animal heat is the confequence. The 

 longer a perfon continues in the cold bath the greater mufl be 

 the prefent inertion of a great part of the fyllem, and in confe- 

 quence a greater accumulation of fenforial power. Whence 

 M. Pome recommends fome melancholy patients to be kept 

 from two to fix hours in fpring-water, and in baths flill colder. 



6. Decreafe the ftimulus for a time below the natural, and 

 then increafe it above natural. The effect of this procefs, im- 

 properly ufed, is feen in giving much food, or applying much 

 ■warmth, to thofe who have been previously expofed to great 

 hunger, or to great cold. The accumulated fenforial power is 

 thrown into fo violent exertion, that inflammations and mortifi- 

 cations fupervene, and death clofes the cataftrophe. In many 

 difeafes this method is the moft fuccefsful ; hence the bark in 

 agues produces more certain effect: after the previous exhibition' 

 of emetics. In difeafes attended with violent pain, opium has 

 double the effect, if venefection and a cathartic have been pre- 

 viously ufed. On this feems to have been founded the fuccefs- 

 ful practice of Sydenham, who ufed venefection and a cathartic 

 in chlorofis before the exhibition of the bark, fleel, and opiates. 



7. Prevent any unneceflary expenditure of fenforial power. 

 Hence in fevers with debility, a decumbent pofture is preferred, 

 with filence, little light, and fuch a quantity of heat as may 

 prevent any chill fenfation, or any coldnefs of the extremities. 

 The pulfe of patients in fevers with debility increafes in fre- 

 quency above ten pulfations in a minute on their rifmg out of 

 bed. For the expenditure of fenforial power to preferve an 

 erect pofture of the body adds to the general deficiency of it, 



' thus affects the circulation. 



8. The longer in time and the greater in degree the quiefcence 

 or inenson of an organ has been, fo that it Hill retains life or 

 excitability, the leis ftimulus (fiould at firft be applied to it. 

 The quantity of ftimuiation is a matter of great nicety to dr 

 termine, where the torpor or quiefcence of the fibres has been 



^erienced i, eat degree, or for a confiderable time, as in 



cold fits of the aj n continued fevers with great debility, or 



in 



