7* TORPENTIA. Art. VII. 2. 3. 4, 



of tlic inflamed vefiels by diminiftiing that of the fkin and lungs, 

 and thus accumulating a greater quantity of fenforial power ; 

 and this efpecially if it was applied previous to evacuations by 

 the lancet or by cathartics. 



I am informed that an ingenious and eminent furgeon in 

 Shropshire, when he was himfelf affected with gravel in the ure- 

 ter, attended with exceflive and continued pain, found inftanta- 

 neous relief frequently in a day by applying on the painful part" 

 a bag of (now or pounded ice, and fuffering it to difiblve. And 

 in the Memoirs of the Medical Society of London, Vol. V. Mr. 

 Parkinfon of Leicefter applies cold ingenioufly to burns, and to 

 inflammations of the eyes, by covering the part with a bladder 

 of the greater! tenuity, which is kept perpetually moiftened for 

 many hours, (perhaps 24 or 36) by alcohol or highly rectified 

 fpirit of wine. In ophthalmia the eyelids were thus covered 

 with thin bladder, and rectified fpirit of wine was applied by 

 means of a fponge to the bladder for feme hours •, which Succeed- 

 ed, after fatumine lotions had been ufed in vain, and deftroyed 

 the inflammation, as foon as two ounces of alcohol had been 

 confumed. Perhaps ether by its quicker evaporation might be 

 more fpeedily effectual ? or mow or ice thawed more haftily 

 by the addition of acid of nitre ? 



3. After immerfion in cold water or in cold air the whole 

 fyftem becomes more excitable by the natural degree of ftimu- 

 lus, as appears from the fubfequent glow on the ikin of people 

 otherwise pale ; and even by a degree of ftimulus lefs than natur- 

 al, as appears by their becoming warm in a (hort time during 

 their continuance in a bath, of about 80 degrees of heat, as in 

 Buxton bath. See Sect. XII. 2. I. XXXII. 3. 3. 



This increafed exertion happens to the abforbent vefTels more 

 particularly, as they are flrft and mod affected by thefe tempo- 

 rary diminutions of heat ; and hence like the medicines, which 

 promote abforption, the cold bath contributes to ftrengthen the 

 conftitution, that is to increafe its irritability j for the difeafes 

 attended with weaknefs, as nervous fevers and hyfteric difeafes, 

 are ihewn in Sect. XXXII. 2. 1 . to proceed from a want of ir- 

 ritability, not from an excefs of it. Hence the digeftion is 

 greater in frofty weather, and the quantity of perfpiration. For 

 thefc purpofes the application of cold mull not be continued too 

 long. For in riding a journey in cold weather, when the feet 

 are long kept too cold, the digeftion is impaired, and cardialgia 

 produced. 



4. If the diminution of external heat be too great, produced 

 too haflily, or continued too long, the torpor of the fyftem ei- 

 ther becomes fo great, that tiie animal ceafes to live > or fo 



grc'^t 



