no060d CULPEPER ENGLISH PHYSICIAN, 
quent contraction of the Heart a fréquent pulfe is produced, which indicates that's 
proper quantity of blood is conveyed to the brain, and that the brain is forcibly prefied, 
which will happen, either when the blood ftagnates therein, in ‘confequenice of an Obs 
itruction of its veins, or when the blood, contained in thefe veins, carinot flow in other: 
parts,orin the lungs; or when the bloodis thrown into a ftatéof effervefcenteby which 
it affumes a tendency to move in every direétion with a greater impetus, and by'that: 
means prefits the brain more powerfully ; the mufcles of the heart alo’move more” 
frequently when irritated. by any ftimulus. If, therefore, the blood is too/acid or hor,” 
fo as to ftimulate the finufes of the heart, the heart will be more frequently contratted,” 
and the frequency of the pulfe will indicate a ftimulating quality in the blood) >! 
Since from the pulfe we thus forma’ judgment not only of the circulation’ and 
temperature of the blood, but alfo of the motion of the {pirits, and the ftrength. 
of the patient, fo the knowledge of the pulfe, and a due attention to it, becomes‘of 
fingular fervice, not only in invettigating ‘the nature of diforders; and forming a 
right judgment concerning them, but alfo in prefcribing medicines for their cure. 
But they mutt be carefully, not fuperficially, confulted: The phyficians of» China 
are far more careful in this refpeét than thofe of Europe; for the Chinefe often {pend 
a whole hour in feeling the pulfe, whilft the Englifh phyficians have hardly patience’ 
-to feel above two pulfations ; a practice highly culpable, fince, after ten ftrokes of 
_ the artery, an inequality or intérmiflion often occurs, which happens whefi the tin- 
equally mixed blood paffes through the heart. The pulfe is alfo to be félt in both 
wrifts,’in the neck, and in the temples; fince it is cértain, from experience, that the 
pulfe in the wrifts frequently varies, and may be more commodioufly felt in one than 
another. We ought alfo to advert to the pulles of other parts; thus, fometimes hy- 
_ pochondriac patients perceive a large pulfe under the ribs on thé left fide, “which 
happens when a quick and vifcid blood, exagitated by heat, or any other caufe, en- 
‘deavours to procure a quick paflage through the pancreas and fpleen, but, ftopping 
in their narrow veffels, produces a pulfation, and a kind of pricking pain. °°" 
~ In continual and malignant fevers a large internal pulfation in the veins of the head 
enetal y denotes a fubfequent delirium ; fince it is a fign that the blood there con- 
d circulates lowly, till at laft, becoming ftagna at, it produces a violent inflam- 
mation of the‘meninges. If a large pulfe arifés from an exceffive ebullition of the 
blood, fo thatiin fevers the veins of the temples beat, afid the face is turgid, with: 
‘Out a foftnels of the preecordia, there is reafon to fulpe€t that the difeate will be 
long, and that it will not terminate without a’latge haemorrhage from the nofé, an 
hiccough, convulfions, or feiatic pains. © The reafon of ‘this is, that the redundant 
blood fecks for an outlet either ‘by the’ nole or’ the haeihorshordal veins) atid’the 
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fooner this happens, ‘the foonér'the patient is fee from his ge When 
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