PliOFLUVIA. 315 



MLX. Whether, from the suppression of perspiration, a ca- 

 tarrh be produced merely by an increased afflux of fluids, or 

 whether the matter of perspiration be at the same time deter- 

 mined to the mucous glands, and there excite a particular irrita- 

 tion, may be uncertain ; but the latter supposition is sufficiently 

 probable. 



MLXI. Although, in the case of a common catarrh, which 

 is in many instances sporadic, it may be doubtful whether any 

 morbific matter be applied to the mucous glands ; it is, how- 

 ever, certain, that the symptoms of a catarrh do frequently de- 

 pend upon such a matter being applied to these glands ; as 

 appears from the case of measles, chincough, and especially from 

 the frequent occurrence of contagious and epidemical catarrh. 



MLXII. The mention of this last leads me to observe, that 

 there are two species of catarrh, as I have mentioned in my 

 Synopsis of Nosology. One of these, as I suppose, is produced 

 by cold alone, as has been explained above; and the other seems 

 manifestly to be produced by a specific contagion. 



Of such contagious catarrhs, I have pointed out in the Synop- 

 sis many instances occurring from the fourteenth century down 

 to the present day. In all these instances, the phenomena 

 have been much the same ; and the disease has always been 

 particularly remarkable in this, that it has been the most wide- 

 ly and generally spreading epidemic known. It has seldom ap- 

 peared in any one country of Europe, without appearing suc- 

 cessively in every other part of it ; and, in some instances, it 

 has been even transferred to America, and has been spread over 

 that continent, so far as we have had opportunities of being 

 informed. 



MLXI II. The catarrh from contagion appears with nearly the 

 same symptoms as those mentioned MXLVIII. ML. It seems 

 often to come on in consequence of the application of cold. It 

 comes on with more cold shivering than the catarrh arising from 

 cold alone, and sooner shows febrile symptoms, and these like- 

 wise in a more considerable degree. Accordingly, it more 

 speedily runs its course, which is commonly finished in a few 

 days. It sometimes terminates by a spontaneous sweat ; and 

 this, in some persons, produces a miliary eruption. It is, how- 

 ever, the febrile state of this disease especially that is finished 



