Sep. I. 16. 4. THEORY OF FEVER. 50 1 



would be thus more powerfully excited by the increased actions 

 of the capillaries; winch existed in consequence of the weak 

 action of the heart and arteries. This also resembles in some 

 respects the continued fevers with weak pulse, and with increas- 

 ed activity of the capillaries. 



4. When a torpor of some irritative motions occurs from a 

 previous exhaustion of the sensorial power of irritation by the 

 action of some very great stimulus, it is long before any accu- 

 mulation of the sensorial power of irritation is produced; as is 

 experienced in the sickness and languor, which continue a whole 

 day after a fit of drunkenness. But nevertheless there occurs 

 an accumulation of the sensorial power of association in the first 

 link of the associate train of motions, which is catenated with 

 these torpid irritative ones; which accumulation is owing to de- 

 ficient excitement of that sensorial power in the first link of the 

 associate train. This first link therefore exists also in a less ac- 

 tive or torpid state, but the accumulation of the sensorial power 

 of association by its superabundance contributes to actuate the 

 second link of the associate train with unnatural quantity of mo- 

 tion; and that though its own natural quantity of the power of 

 association is not excited by the deficient action of preceding 

 fibrous motions. 



When this happens to the stomach, as after its irritative mo- 

 tions have been much exerted from the unnatural stimulus of 

 wine, or opium, or of contagious matter mixed with the saliva, 

 a torpor or inactivity of it succeeds for a greater or less length 

 of time; as no accumulation of the sensorial power of irritation 

 can occur till the natural quantity which has been previously ex- 

 pended, is first restored. Then the heart and arteries, which are 

 next in catenation, become less active from the want of suffi- 

 cient excitement of the sensorial power of association, which 

 previously contributed to actuate them. This sensorial power 

 of association therefore becomes accumulated, and by its super- 

 abundance contributes to actuate. the link next in association, 

 which has thus acquired so great a degree of associability, as to 

 overbalance the less quantity of the excitement of it by the tor- 

 pid action of the previous or first associate link. This happens 

 to the capillaries, when the heart and arteries are affected as 

 above by the torpor of the stomach, when it is occasioned by 

 previous great expenditure of its sensorial power, and thus con- 

 stitutes fever with weak pulse, which is here termed inirritative 

 fever, typhus mitior. 



5. When a deficiency of stimulus is too greater too long con- 

 tinued, so as to impair the life of the part, no further accumu- 

 lation of sensorial power occurs; as when the skin is long exposed 



