52 DISEASES CLASS I. 2. 1. 1. 



such medicines as promote a greater production of sensorial power 

 in the brain; as the incitantia, consisting of wine, beer and 

 opium, in small repeated quantities; and secondly, of such as 

 simply stimulate the arterial and glandular system into their natu- 

 ral actions; as small repeated blisters, spices and essential oils. 

 And lastly, the sorbentia, which contribute to supply the more 

 permanent strength of the system, by promoting the absorption 

 of nourishment from the stomach and intestines; and of the su- 

 perfluous fluid, which attends the secretions. 



SPECIES. 



1 . Febris inirritativa. Inirritative fever. This is the typhus 

 mitior, or nervous fever of some writers; it is attended with 

 weak pulse without inflammation, or symptoms of putridity, as 

 they have been called. When the production of sensorial power 

 in the brain is less than usual, the pulse becomes quick as well 

 as weak; and the heart sometimes trembles like the limbs of old 

 age, or of enfeebled drunkards; and when this force of the con- 

 tractions of the heart and arteries is diminished, the blood is 

 pushed on with less energy, as well as in less quantity, and thence 

 its stimulus on their sides is diminished in a duplicate ratio. In 

 compressions of the brain, as in apoplexy, the pulse becomes 

 slower and fuller; for in that disease, as in natural sleep, the 

 irritative motions of the heart and arteries are not diminished, 

 volition alone is suspended or destroyed. 



If the absorption of the terminations of the veins is not equally 

 impaired with the force of the heart and arteries, the blood is 

 taken up by the veins the instant it arrives at their extremities; 

 the capillary vessels are left empty, and there is less resistance to 

 the current of the blood from the arteries; hence the pulse be- 

 comes empty, as well as weak and quick; the veins of the skin 

 are fuller than the arteries of it; and its appearance becomes 

 pale, bluish, and shrunk. See Class II. 1. 3. 1. 



When this pulse persists many hours, it constitutes the febris 

 inirritativa, or typhus, or nervous fever, of some writers; it is 

 attended with little heat, the urine is generally of a natural colour, 

 though in less quantity; with great prostration of strength, and 

 much disturbance of the faculties of the mind. Its immediate 

 cause seems to be a deficient secretion of the sensorial power 

 from the inaction of the brain; hence almost the whole of the 

 sensorial power is expended in the performance of the motions 

 necessary to life, and little of it can be spared for the voluntary 

 actions of the locomotive muscles, or organs of sense, see 

 Class I. 2. 5. 3. Its more remote cause may be from a paraly- 



