4C6 THEORY OF FEVER, SLT. I. 8. 6. 



because it is not excited into action; exactly as the power of irri- 

 tation becomes accumulated in the hand, when immersed in snow; 

 and this accumulated sensorial power of association excites the 

 lymphatics of the lungs and of other parts, which are most nearly 

 associated with those of the stomach, into more energetic actions. 

 Thus the muscular fibres of the stomach act with the lymphatics 

 of that organ in direct sympathy; and the lymphatics of the sto- 

 mach act in reverse sympathy with those of the lungs and of 

 other parts of the body; the former of which is caused by defect 

 of the excitement of the sensorial power of association, and the 

 latter by the accumulation of it. 



Besides the efficient cause 7 as above explained, the final cause, 

 or convenience of these organic actions are worthy our atten- 

 tion. In this case of an acrid drug swallowed into the stomach, 

 the reverted actions of the muscular fibres of the stomach tend 

 to eject its enemy; the reverted actions of its lymphatics pour 

 a great quantity of fluids into the stomach for the purpose of 

 diluting or washing off the noxious drug; and the increased 

 actions of the other lymphatics supply these retrograde ones of 

 the stomach with an inconceivable supply of fluids, as is seen in 

 Ileus and Cholera. 



7. The inquisitive reader will excuse my continuing this 

 subject, though perhaps with some repetitions, as it envelopes 

 the very essence of fever. When the first link of a train of ac- 

 tions is excited by excessive stimulus, or excessive irritability, and 

 thus acts with unusual energy by the increased quantity of irri- 

 tation, these increased motions excite a greater quantity of the 

 sensorial power of association, which causes increased motions 

 in the second link, which is catenated with the first; and then 

 the excessive action of this second link excites also a greater 

 tjuantity of the sensorial power of association, which increases ' 

 the motions of the third link of this chain of association, and 

 thus the increase of the stimulus on the irritative motions, to 

 which the chain of association is catenated, increases the action 

 of the whole chain or circle of associated motions. 



After a time the irritative motions become torpid by expendi- 

 ture of the sensorial power of irritation, and then the power of 

 association also becomes less exerted, both because it has been in 

 part exhausted by too great action, and is now less excited by the 

 lessened action of the irritative motions, which used to excite it. 

 These are both instances of direct sympathy, and frequently con- 

 stitute the cold and hot fit of intermittents. 



But though the accumulation of the sensorial power of irri- 

 tation during the quiescence of some motion, owing to want of 

 Stimulus, generally induces torpor in the first link of the train of 



