Sep. I. 8. 1. THEORY OF FEVER. 461 



tates the renovation of the torpor of the whole system, and gives 

 cause to intermittent fevers catenated with lunar or solar influ- 

 ence. 



VIII. Orgasm of the Capillaries. 



As the remaining torpor of some less essential part of the sys- 

 tem, as of the spleen, when the hot fit ceases, produces after 

 one, two, or three days a return of cold fit by direct sympathy 

 with the cutaneous capillaries, when joined with some other 

 cause of torpor, as the defect of solar or lunar influences, or the 

 exposure to cold or hunger, and thus gives origin to intermit- 

 tent fever; so the remaining torpor of some more essential parts 

 of the system, as of the stomach and intestines, is probably the 

 cause of the immediate recurrence of the cold paroxysm, at the 

 time the hot one ceases, by their direct sympathy with the cu- 

 taneous capillaries, without the assistance of any other cause of 

 torpor; and thus produces remittent fever. And lastly, the re- 

 maining torpor of some still more essential parts of the system, 

 as the heart and arteries, after the hot fit ought to cease, is lia- 

 ble by reverse sympathy with the cutaneous capillaries to con- 

 tinue their orgasm, and thus to render a fever continual, which 

 would otherwise remit or intermit. 



Many difficulties here occur, which we shall endeavour to 

 throw some light upon, and leave to future investigation; ob- 

 serving only that difficulties were to be expected, otherwise fe- 

 vers would long since have been understood, as they have em- 

 ployed the unremitted attention of the physicians of all ages of 

 the world. 



1* Why do the same parts of successive trains of action some- 

 times affect each other by direct, and sometimes by reverse sym- 

 pathy? 1st. When any irritative motion ceases, or becomes 

 torpid, which was before in perpetual action; it is either de- 

 prived of its usual stimulus, and thence the sensorial power of 

 irritation is not excited; or it has been previously too much sti- 

 mulated, and the sensorial power has been thus exhausted. 



In the former case an accumulation of sensorial power soon 

 occurs, which is excitable by a renewal of the stimulus; .as when 

 the fingers, which have been immersed some time in snow, are 

 again exposed to the usual warmth of a room. Or, secondly, the 

 sensorial power of irritation becomes so much accumulated, that 

 the motions, which were torpid, are now performed by less 

 stimulus than natural; as appears by the warmth, which soon 

 occurs after the first chill in going into frosty air, or into the 

 bath at Buxlon, which is about eighty degrees of heat. Or, 



