I $5 The Mitchillian Theory of Fever 



blood now run together in the extreme veffejs of the fkirr. 

 and form the moifture which bedews the furface ; and this 

 afterwards flying ofT by evaporation, cools by degrees the 

 whole body down to its ordinary temperature: arid, as t lie 

 arterial extremities of the reft of the body become dilated by 

 the fubfidence of excitement, the other fecretions, which 

 had been generally fufpended during the lit, now return at 

 before : after this, the confutation, lb far accuitomed to the 

 breathing fuch an atmofphere, regains its former vigour and 

 functions, as far as the exercife induced and functions in- 

 jured during the feveral ftages will allow. 



" The interval between one fit and the fucceeding one, 

 will be proportionate to the duration of the habit of refiftance 

 acquired. Some pcrfons thus experience but one fit, and 

 all is over; for, under the fame circumftances they are 

 never invaded by a fecund. Others Curler two fits, or a fue- 

 ctiiion of fits, and after a while become fu accuftomed to 

 the Hamulus, that, if always applied in the fame degree of 

 ihength, its effect, is no longer felt upon the body : in other 

 inftances again, fo hard is it for the confiitution to be 

 moulded into a fettled habit of oppofition, that after en- 

 during a great number of invafions, it becomes at length 

 enervated and worn down fo much as finally to die ex- 

 haufted. 



" The fpecies of fever, whether quotidian, tertian, &c. 

 will depend upon the readinefs or quicknefs wherewith the 

 offending caufe gains a new afcendancy over the body, or 

 breaks the habit. And to the mobility of the body, or eafe 

 with which the habit is broken, is to be afcribed, as well 

 the frequency of the returns, as the duration and feverity of 

 the paroxyfms. 



" The anomalous cafes of fever, which have puzzled phy- 

 ficians to explain, and nofologifts to arrange, are thus very 

 naturally accounted for; fincc, according to the variation of 

 the caufe, as the noxious atmofphere, may thicken or difperfe, 

 \\\\\ be the variety in the effect produced] and as there may 



