Sect. XXXII. 3. 4. OF IRRITATION. 289 



fever-fit ; for the pulfe is weak, fmall, and quick during the 

 cold immerfion , and becomes ftrong, full, and quick during 

 the fubfequent glow of heat ; till in a few minutes thefe fymp- 

 toms fubfide, and the temporary fever ceafes. 



In thofe constitutions where the degree of inirritability, or of 

 debility, is greater than natural, the coldnefs and palenefs of 

 the fkin with the quick and weak pulfe continue a long time 

 after the patient leaves the bath ; and the fubfequent heat ap- 

 proaches by unequal flu filings, and he feels himfelf difordered 

 for many hours. Hence the bathing in a cold fpring of water, 

 where the heat is but forty eight degrees on Fahrenheit's ther- 

 mometer, much difagrees with thofe of weak or inirritable hab- 

 its of body ; who pofiefs fo little fenforial power, that they 

 cannot without injury bear to have it diminifhed even for a 

 {hort time ; but who can neverthelefs bear the more temperate 

 coldnefs of Buxton bath, which is about eighty degrees of heat, 

 and which ftrengthens them, and makes them by habit lefs lia- 

 ble to great quiefcence from fmall variations of cold °, and thence 

 lefs liable to be diforderectby the unavoidable accidents of life. 

 Hence it appears, why people of thefe inirritable conftitutions, 

 which is another expreflion for fenforial deficiency, are often 

 much injured by bathing in a cold fpring of water ; and why 

 they mould continue but a very (hort time in baths, which are 

 colder than their bodies ; and fhould gradually increafe both 

 the degree of the coldnefs of the water, and the time of their 

 continuance in it, if they would obtain falutary effects from coid 

 immerfions. See Se£t. XII. 2. 1. 



On the other hand, in all cafes where the heat of the exter- 

 nal furface of the body, or of the internal furface of the lungs, 

 is greater than natural, the ufe of expofure to cool air may be 

 deduced. In fever-fits attended with ftrength, that is with 

 great quantity of fenforial power, it removes the additional ftim- 

 ulus of heat from the Surfaces above mentioned, and thus pre- 

 vents their excefs of ufelefs motion -, and -in fever-fits attended 

 with debility, that is with a deficiency of the quantity of fenfo- 

 rial power, it prevents the great and dangerous wafte of fenfo- 

 rial power expended in the unnecefTary increafe of the actions 

 of the glands and capillaries of the ikin and iungs. 



4. In the fame manner, when any one is long expofed to 

 very cold air, a quiefcence is produced of the cutaneous and 

 pulmonary capillaries and abforbents, owing to the deficiency 

 of their ufual llimulus of heat ; and this quiefcence of fo great 

 a quantity of veffels affects, by irritative affociation, the whole 

 abforbent and glandular fyftem, which becomes in a greater or 

 lefs degree qutefcent, and a cold fit of fever is produced. 



Vol. I. O o If 



