Ssct. XII. 7. 8. AND EXERTION. 7 i 



in people famifhed at fea, or perifhing with cold. In the two 

 laft cafes, very minute quantities of food mould be firft fuppli- 

 ed, and very lev/ additional degrees of heat. In the two form- 

 er cafes, but little flimulus of wine or medicine, above what 

 they had been lately accuilomed to, mould be exhibited, and 

 this at frequent and ftated intervals, fo that the effect of one 

 quantity may be obferved before the exhibition of another. 



If thefe circumftances are not attended to, as the fenforial 

 power becomes accumulated in the quiefcent fibres, an inordi- 

 nate exertion takes place by the increafe of ftimulus acting on 

 accumulated quantity of fenforial power, and either the paral- 

 yfis, or death of the contractile fibres enfues, from the total ex- 

 penditure of the fenforial power in the affected organ 3 owing to 

 this increafe of exertion, like the debility after intoxication. 

 Or, fecondly, the violent exertions above mentioned produce 

 painful fenfation, which becomes a new ftimulus, and by thus 

 producing inflammation, and increafing the activity of the fibres 

 already too great, fooner exhaufts the whole of the fenforial 

 power in the acting organ, and mortification, that is, the death 

 of the part, fupervenes. 



Hence there have been many inftances of people, whofe 

 limbs have been long benumbed by expofure to cold, who have 

 loft them by mortification on their being too haftily brought to 

 the fire ; and of others, who were nearly famifhed at fea, who 

 have died foon after having taken not more than an ufual meal 

 of food. I have heard of two well-attefted inftances of patients 

 in the cold fit of ague, who have died from the exhibition of 

 gin and vinegar, by the inflammation which enfued. And in 

 many fevers attended with debility, the unlimited ufe of wine, 

 and the wanton application of blifters, I believe, has deftroyed 

 numbers by the debility confequent to too great ftimulation, 

 that is, by the exhauftion of the fenforial power by its inordi- 

 nate exertion. 



Wherever the leaft degree of intoxication exifts, a proportion- 

 al debility is the confequence ; but there is a golden rule by 

 which the necefTary and ufeful quantity of ftimulus in fevers 

 with debility may be afcertained. When wine or beer is ex- 

 hibited either alone or diluted with water, if the pulfe becomes 

 flower the ftimulus is of a proper quantity 5 and fhould be re- 

 peated every two or three hours, or when the pulfe again be- 

 comes quicker. 



In the chronical debility brought on by drinking fpirituous or 

 fermented liquors, there is another golden rule by which I have 

 fuccefsfully directed the quantity of fpirit which they may fafe- 

 ly lefTen, for there is no other means by which they can recov- 

 er 



