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Art. IV. On the Morbid Influence of the Spinal Nerves ; 
in a Letter from R. P. Prayer, Esq., to the Editor. 
Sir, 
Art the commencement of the present year you favoured me 
with publishing in the Journal of Science, an account of a mor- 
bid connexion which exists between the origins of the spinal 
nerves, and diseases of parts to which they are distributed. I 
now beg leave to submit to your notice some results of further 
attention to this subject. 
1. In almost every disease of the upper and lower extremities, 
of the neck, and of the trunk and its organs and viscera, pre- 
ternatural tenderness may commonly be discovered on pressure 
between the vertebree from which the nerves emerge which pro- 
ceed to the affected parts, or those spinal branches which are 
more immediately connected therewith. 
2. In diseases in which the circulation is much accelerated, 
in cases of disease affecting important organs, and more parti- 
cularly when occurring in old age, this symptom may frequently 
be discovered to extend along a considerable portion of the 
vertebral column. 
3. Diseases of the head, and its organs, and of those to which 
the par vagum is distributed, appear primarily to be connected. 
with, if not consequential on, this morbid state, of one or more 
parts of the spine. The effects of remedies directed to the 
Spine, seem to prove this. When organization is impaired, 
effects then become causes. 
4, Inmany diseases besides the existence of preternatural 
tenderness about the origins of the nerves which proceed to the 
affected parts, this symptom may also be discovered about the 
origins of one or more of the intercostal nerves on the left side 
of the spine beneath the scapula, and opposite the upper portion 
of the stomach. 
5. In diseases of females this symptom may, in like manner, 
be frequently found about the origins of some of the sacral 
nerves. 
