CLASS II. 1. 6. 14. OF SENSATION. 



14. Febris venerea. From the absorption of the matter from 

 venereal ulcers and suppurating bones. See Syphilis, II. 1. 5. 2. 



M. M. Any mercurial calx. Sarsaparilla? Mezereon? 



1 5. Febris a same putrida. Fever from putrid sanies. When 

 parts of the body are destroyed by external violence^, as a bruise, 

 or by mortification, a putrefaction soon succeeds; as they are 

 kept in that degree of warmth and moisture, by their adhesion 

 to the living parts of the body, which most forwards that pro- 

 cess. Thus the sloughs of mortified parts of the tonsils give fe- 

 tor to the breath in some fevers; the matter from putrefying 

 teeth, or other suppurating bones, is particularly offensive; and 

 even the scurf, which adheres to the tongue, frequently acquires 

 a bitter taste from its incipient putridity. This material differs 

 from those before mentioned, as its deleterious property depends 

 on a chemical rather than an animal process. 



16. Febris puerpera. Puerperal fever. It appears from some 

 late dissections, which have been published, of those women who 

 have died of the puerperal fever, that matter has been formed in 

 the omentum, and found in the cavity of the abdomen,, with 

 some blood or sanies. These parts are supposed to have been 

 injured by the exertions accompanying labour; and as matter in 

 this viscus may have been produced without much pain, this 

 disease is not attended with arterial strength and hard full pulse, 

 like the inflammation of the uterus; and as the fever is of the 

 inirritative or typhus kind, there is reason to believe, that the 

 previous exhaustion of the patient during labour may contribute 

 to its production, as well as the absorption of a material not 

 purulent but putrid; which is formed by the delay of extrava- 

 sated or dead matter produced by the bruises of the omentum, 

 or other viscera, in the efforts of parturition, rather than by pu- 

 rulent matter, the consequence of suppuration. The pulse is 

 generally about 120 when in bed, and in the morning; and is 

 increased to 134, or more, when the patient sits up, or in the 

 evening paroxysm. The pulse of all very weak patients increases 

 in frequency when they sit up; because the expenditure of 

 sensorial power necessary to preserve an erect posture deducts so 

 much from their general strength; and hence the pulse becomes 

 weaker and in consequence quicker. See Sect. XII. 1. 4. 



Whence I suspect that the puerperal fever is distinguished 

 from the hectic fever, by the former being produced and sup- 

 ported by the absorption of a putrid sanies, arising from dead 

 parts of the omentum or mesentery; and the latter being pro- 

 duced and supported by the absorption of purulent matter, 

 which is the consequence of inflammation, after it has been oxy- 

 genated by exposure to the air; and that hence they differ in 



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