636 PRACTICE OF TIIYSIC. 



of the extreme vessels is greatly diminished, and that the cure 

 often consists in restoring it." 



CCI. Having now considered the several means of satisfying 

 the first general indication in the cure of fevers, I proceed to 

 the second (CXXVL), which is, to remove the cause, or ob- 

 viate the effects of debility. 



CCII. Most of the sedative powers inducing debility cease 

 to act soon after they have been first applied ; and, therefore, 

 the removing them is not an object of our present indication. 

 There is only one which may be supposed to continue to act for 

 a long time ; and that is, the contagion applied : but we know 

 nothing of the nature of contagion that can lead us to any mea- 

 sures for removing or correcting it. We know only its effects 

 as a sedative power inducing debility, or as a ferment inducing 

 a tendency to putrefaction in the fluids. The obviating the 

 latter will be considered under our third general indication, and 

 the former alone is to be considered here. 



CCIII. The debility induced in fevers by contagion, or other 

 causes, appears especially in the weaker energy of the brain ; 

 but in what this consists, or how it may be directly restored, we 

 do not well know. As nature, however, does, seemingly for 

 this purpose, excite the action of the heart and arteries, we as- 

 cribe the continuance of debility to the weaker reaction* of the 

 sanguiferous system ; so that the means to be employed for 

 obviating debility, are immediately directed to support and in- 

 crease the action of the heart and arteries ; and the remedies 

 used are Tonics or Stimulants. 



CCIV. In contagious diseases, both from the effects which 

 appear and from dissections, it is known that the tone of the 

 heart and arteries is considerably diminished ; and that tonic 

 remedies, therefore, are properly indicated. 



These are to be considered as of two kinds ; the first being 

 the power of cold, the second that of tonic medicines. 



CCV. The power of cold, as a tonic, I have mentioned 

 above (XC.); and it is employed in fevers in two ways ; 

 either as the cold matter is thrown into the stomach, or as it is 

 applied to the surface of the body. 



CCVI. As it has been shown above, that the tonic power of 

 cold can be communicated from any one part to every other 



