472 THEORY OF FEVER. Sui>. I. 8. 12; 



chlorosis, the pulsations of the heart and arteries are weaker than 

 natural, and are sometimes attended with occasionally increased 

 action of the capillaries; as appears from the flushings of the 

 face, and hot skin, which generally form an evening febricula in 

 diseases attended with weak digestion. 



12. The increased action or orgasm, of the cutaneous, pul- 

 monary, and cellular capillaries, with their secerning and absorb- 

 ent vessels, in those fevers which are attended with deficiency 

 of vital action, exhausts the patient both by the additional ex- 

 penditure of sensorial power on those organs of secretion, and 

 by the too great absorption of the mucus and fat of the body; 

 whence great debility and great emaciation. Hence one great 

 indication of cure of continued fever with arterial debility is to 

 diminish the too great action of the capillaries; which is to be 

 done by frequent ablutions, or bathing the whole skin in tepid 

 or in cold water, as recommended by Dr. Currie of Liverpool, 

 (Philos. Trans, for 1792,) for half an hour, twice a day, or at 

 those times when the skin feels driest and hottest. Much cool 

 air should also be admitted, when the breath of the patient feels 

 hot to oue-s hand; or when the tongue, especially its middle 

 part is dry, and covered with a crust of indurated mucus; as* 

 these indicate the increased action of the pulmonary capillaries; 

 in the same manner as the dry and hot skin indicates the orgasm 

 of the cutaneous capillaries; and the emaciation of the body that 

 of the cellular ones. 



For this purpose of abating the action of the capillaries by 

 frequent ablution or fomentation, water of any degree of heat 

 beneath that of the body will be of service, and ought in accu- 

 rate language to be called a cold bath; but the degree of cold- 

 ness, where the patient is sensible, should in some measure be 

 governed by his sensations; as it is probable, that the degree of 

 coldness, which is most grateful to him, will also be of the great- 

 est benefit to him. See Class III. 2. \. 12. and Article 15. of 

 this Supplement. 



Another great use of frequent ablutions, or fomentations, or 

 baths, in fevers, where the stomach is in some degree torpid, is 

 to supply the system with aqueous fluid by means of the cutane- 

 ous absorbents; which is dissipated faster by the increased ac- 

 tion of the secerning capillaries, than the stomach can furnish, 

 and occasions great thirst at the intervals of the sickness. 



IX. Torpor of the Lungs. 



1. The lungs in many cases of contagion may first be affect- 

 ed with torpor, and the skin become cold by sympathy; in the 



