338 ESSAYS and OBSERVATIONS 



violence, as to kill them in either of two 

 ways. 



One way is, by afFeding thofe nerves 

 to which it is primarily applied, and 

 bringing the reft of the nervous fyflem 

 to fyrapdchize, independent of its abforp- 

 tion and mixture with the blood. 



The other way is, by its being abforb- 

 ed, and mixed and conveyed with the blood, 

 by which it is brought into immediate 

 contadl with the nerves of the heart and 

 vafcular fyftem ; which it muft be fup- 

 pofed to acl upon, as it does on thofe to 

 ■which it was primarily applied, and to 

 affect other nerves in a fimilar way by 

 fympathy. Befjdes which, it may, per- 

 haps, direcily operate fome change on the 

 mafs of blood ; though this muft be lo 

 inconfiderable as fcarcely to merit atten- 

 tion. 



But, as animals are fponeft afFeifled 

 •with opium whilft they are intire, it feems 

 iiiually to dperate in both the above men- 

 tioned ways. And it will appear highly 

 probable, that fome not altogether incon- 

 fiderable 



