4G8 THEORY OF FEVER. SUP. I. 8. 9. 



Thus we see in associate motions, which are rendered torpid 

 by defect of excitement, that sometimes a direct, and sometimes 

 a reverse sympathy succeeds in the subsequent links of the chain. 

 But I believe where a torpor of irritative or of the associate mo- 

 tions is caused by a previous too great expenditure or exhaustion 

 of the sensorial powers of irritation or association, no increase of 

 action in the subsequent link ever occurs, or not till after a very 

 long time. 



Thus when the stomach becomes torpid by previous violent 

 exertion, and consequent exhaustion of the sensorial power of 

 irritation, as after intoxication with wine or opium, or after the 

 exhibition of some violent emetic drug, the torpor is communi- 

 cated to the heart and arteries, as in continued levers with weak 

 pulse. But where the torpor of the stomach is produced from 

 defective association, as in sea-sickness; or in the sickness which 

 occurs, when a stone stimulates the ureter; no torpor is then com- 

 municated to the heart and arteries. For in the former case there 

 is no accumulation of sensorial power in the stomach, which 

 was previously exhausted by too great stimulus; but in the lat- 

 ter case the accumulation of sensorial power in the stomach dur- 

 ing its torpor is evinced by this circumstance; that in sea-sick- 

 ness the patients eat and drink voraciously at intervals; and the 

 pulse is generally not affected by the sickness occasioned by a 

 stone in the ureter. For the action of the stomach is then less- 

 ened, and in consequence becomes retrograde, not owing to the 

 exhaustion of the sensorial power of irritation, but to the want 

 of excitement of the sensorial power of association; which is 

 caused by the defective action of the ureter, which becomes oc- 

 casionally torpid by the great stimulus of the stone it contains; 

 or which is caused by the great exhaustion of sensorial power by 

 the pain; which affects the ureter without exciting inflammation; 

 pr increased action of it. 



9. Thus though the stomach after the great stimulus of in- 

 toxication from excess of wine or opium will continue many 

 hours without accumulation of sensorial power, as appears from 

 the patient's experiencing no appetite at the intervals of sick- 

 ness; yet after long abstinence from food, at length not only 

 the exhausted quantity of sensorial power is renewed, but an ac- 

 cumulation of it at length occurs, and hunger returns. In this 

 situation the stomach is generally about a whole day before it re- 

 gains its usual powers of digestion; but if it has been still more vio- 

 lently stimulated, and its actions further impaired, a still more 

 permanent torpor, along with a continued fever with weak pulse is 

 liable to occur; and a fourth part or a half, or three-fourths, or a 



