406 DISEASES CLASS 1. 2. 4. 2 



the shuddering and gnashing the teeth in cold fits of intermittent 

 fevers. See Class t. 2.2. 1. 



Thirst may be divided into two varieties, alluding to the re- 

 mote cause of each, and may be termed sitis calida, or warm 

 thirst, and sitis frigida, or cold thirst. The remote cause of the 

 former arises from the dissipation of the aqueous parts of our 

 fluids by the increased secretion of perspirable matter, or other 

 evacuations. And hence it occurs in hot fits of fever, and after 

 taking much wine, opium, spice, salt, or other drugs of the Art. 

 incitantia or secernentia. The thirst, which occurs about three 

 hours after eating a couple of red herrings, to a person unaccus- 

 tomed to salted meat, is of this kind; the increased action of the 

 cutaneous vessels dissipates so much of our fluids by insensible 

 perspiration, as to require above two quarts of water to restore 

 the -fluidity of the blood, and to wash the salt out of the system. 

 See Art. III. 2. 1. 



M. M. Cold water. Vegetable acids. Warm bath. 



The remote cause of sitis frigida, or cold thirst, is owing to the 

 inaction of the cutaneous, pulmonary, urinary, and cellular ab- 

 sorbents; whence the blood is deprived of the great supply of 

 moisture which it ought to receive from the atmosphere, and from 

 the cells of the cellular membrane, and from other cysts; this 

 cause of thirst exists in dropsies, and in the cold fits of intermit- 

 tents. The desire of fluids, like that of solids, is liable to acquire 

 periods, and may therefore readily become diseased by indulgence 

 in liquids grateful to the palate. 



Of diseased thirst, the most common is either owing to defect 

 of the action of the numerous absorbent vessels on the neck of 

 the bladder, in which the patient makes much palish water, or 

 to the defective absorption of the skin and lungs, in which the 

 patient makes but little water, and that high-coloured, and with 

 sediment. In both the tongue and lips are liable to become very ' 

 dry. The former in its greatest degree attends diabetes, and the 

 latter anasarca. 



M. M. Warm water, warm wine, warm bath. Opium. Cold 

 bath. Iced water. Lemonade. Cider. 



2. Esuries. Hunger has been fancifully ascribed to the sides 

 of the stomach rubbing against each other, and to the increased 

 acidity of the gastric juice corroding the coats of it. If either 

 of these were the cause of hunger, inflammation must occur, when 

 they had continued some time; but, on the contrary, coldness 

 not heat is attendant on hunger; which evinces, that, like thirst, 

 it is owing to the inactivity of the membrane, which is the seat 

 of it; while the abundant nerves about the cardia ventriculi^ 



