50 



DISEASES 



CLASS I. 1. 5. 11. 



In these cases the irritability is less than natural, though it is 

 erroneously supposed to be greater; and the mind is busied in 

 exciting a train of ideas inattentive to external objects; when 

 this train of ideas is dissevered by any unexpected stimulus, sur- 

 prise is excited; as explained in Sect. XVIL 3. 7. and XVIII. 

 17. then as the sensibility in these cases is greater, fear becomes 

 superadded to the surprise; and convulsions in consequence of 

 the pain of fear. See Sect. XIX. 2. 



The proximate cause of surprise is the increased irritation in- 

 duced by some violent stimulus, which dissevers our usual trains 

 of ideas; but in diseases of inirritability the frequent starting or 

 surprise from sounds not uncommon, but rather louder than 

 usual, as the clapping of a door, shews that the attention of the 

 patient to a train of sensitive ideas was previously stronger than 

 natural, and indicates an incipient delirium; which is therefore 

 worth attending to in febrile diseases. 



