329 



extinction of life? or what is the proof that the spiritual change 

 which began, may not proceed by that progressive causation de- 

 scribed, independently, to the termination of the series in death? 

 What is the proof that these perceptible phenomena were re-agents, 

 or in turn causes of change, to the spirit, rather than mere accom- 

 paniments? There is no positive proof, the state of phrenitis never 

 takes place without these phenomena ; but because a modified con- 

 dition of life necessarily produces these effects, it is not to be con- 

 cluded that these effects become causes, and in turn help to produce 

 the extinction of life, until the existence of such a relation is made 

 clear on other grounds. Such a relation, or something approaching 

 to it, is indicated : we know that, in inflammation, the throbbing of 

 the pain corresponds with the systoles of the heart; and hence we 

 conclude that the circulation may re-act upon a similar state of 

 disease: and we know that pressure upon the brain will kill (though 

 in fact this happens indirectly) where there is no previous disease; 

 and hence we conclude that effusion into the ventricles may be a 

 cause of death in phrenitis, as when the symptoms of this disease 

 are exchanged for those of apoplexy. But because we have proofs 

 that the impulse of blood into inflamed vessels will produce pain, 

 and that distention, under certain diseased states, will increase pain, 

 and that pressure upon the brain will kill ; it does not follow, when 

 these things happen as effects of other previous and progressive 

 disease, but that the finale of this progression, viz. death, might 

 take place without their assistance ; which is further proved by the 

 fact, that a disease of the brain of long standing, sometimes pro- 

 ducing convulsions, and finally delirium, and coma, followed by 

 death, has not been found on dissection to have been accompanied 

 with perceptible disease; on the contrary, the structure of the brain 

 has appeared natural, and its vessels preternaturally free from blood. 

 If it were worth while to push further a discussion which was de- 

 signed to shew only the manner in which our inference of death by 

 primary disease is capable of being considered and supported, it 

 may be remarked, that the re-agency of the circulation upon 

 disease, on the evidence just cited, is founded upon an assumed 

 extension of analogy. We experience that pain is increased, as in 

 whitlow, at each systole of the heart; this experience of ours re- 

 spects a relation between the circulation and sensibility, arid we 

 assume a similar relation with respect to the organic life. This is a 

 mere assumption: if it were investigated perhaps, the assumption 

 would be confirmed on other evidence ; there is no reason, a priori, 

 why the organic life should be disturbed in an inflamed seat by the 

 fulness of its vessels, or by the systole of the heart, unless such rea- 

 son should be furnished by a physiology which shews that such dis- 

 turbance might take place in consequence of the natural relation 

 subsisting between the quantity and the properties of the blood, 

 and a defined state of the textures, and the organic spirit. It is not 

 necessary to pursue this matter further at present, we may hereafter 

 x x 



