COLDS, &c. 197 



a variety of additional impoiitions) happen 

 every day. Having here obUquely remarked 

 what I naturally conclude is almoft univerfally 

 known, I ihall be ftudiouily anxious to explain 

 the nature of colds, and their different eifefts, 

 fo as to urge the neceiTity of their being per- 

 fectly underftood, that prevention in future 

 may become an object of attention. 



The procefs of Nature we allude to, in the 

 appellation of cold, is a general obftrudlion 

 of the cutaneous pallages or pores of the Ikin, 

 formed for the tranfpiration of perfpirable 

 matter, proportionally emitted from every 

 part of the frame, and intended to expel that 

 fuperfluous moifture by an almoft infenfible 

 evacuation. But this exertion of Nature be- 

 ing totally fupprefied^ by a fudden collapfion, 

 or clofing of the pores, from one of the caufes 

 before defcribed, the perfpirable matter is pre- 

 vented in its natural courfe, and returned upon 

 the body in a preternatural and morbid ftate. 



We now come to the mlfchievous efFed:, 

 according to the degree of in^^eteracy or infec- 

 tion of the attack. The m.oft penetrating and 

 acrimonious particles immediately make their 

 O 3 paifaiTe 



