Chap. XVI. Of a Talfy. ^i 



CHAP. XVL 

 Of a Talfy, 



'Tp H E ancient Farriers, and many of the Country Peo- 

 ^ pie to this Day, when they lee a Horfe or Bullock 

 have his Limbs fuddenly taken from him, and not being 

 able to think what (hould be the Caufe of fuch an unex- 

 pefted Change, believe him either to be planet-ftruck, or 

 Shrow-run ; but molt or all thofe Accidents are owing to 

 the Palfy, and therefore we fhall include them under that 

 Denomination. 



A Palfy is an Inability to Motion, arifing j p^j. ^.,^ 

 either from a Fault in the Blood or animal '-^-^ ^ 



Spirits, or from both together ; and it feize? fometimes 

 the whole Body, fometimes one Side, and fometimes a 

 particular Part only. 



When the Caufe happens from the animal Spirits, then 

 Senfation is in a Manner loft ; and fometimes with an Ina- 

 bility to Motion alfo ; and becaufe the nervous Fluid is ren- 

 der'd thick, and unapt to Motion, and the Nerves them- 

 felves relax'd and moift, and confequently unfit for lively 

 Vibrations. There will alfo be fometimes a Numbnels 

 and Infenfibility to the Touch, but yet a Capacity of Mo- 

 tion may be preferv'd. But when a Palfy arifes from a 

 Fault in the Blood, viz. from an over-great Humidity, or 

 when it is render'd too thick : In the firft Cafe the Mufcles 

 are ftretch'd out in Length, and their Fibres relaxed, and 

 by lofmg their Tone, they become incapable of Contradli- 

 on ; and therefore tho' there may be a Diftribution of the 

 nervous Juice, yet Motion is loft by Reafon of that over- 

 Relaxation J while at the fame time Senfe may remain ; 

 , and in the other Cafe, though there be a Concourfe of 

 j Spirits, yet the Blood is fo thick, that it cannot be lud- 

 \ denly enough rarefied to produce Motion. But, laftly, 

 i when the Blood and Spirits are both aftec^ed in a Palfy, 

 I the Senfe and Motion will both be loft : And if the 

 ' Nerves or Blood be affeded within the Brain, then the Pal- 

 fy will be accompanied with an Apoplexy or Vertigo. 



And therefore the Caufes of a Palfy are all q-j r r^ f 

 thofe things that may induce an over-great a^Palf 

 Humidity into the Blood and Spirits, fo as •"^* 



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