70 OF STIMULUS SECT. XII. 7. 6. 



tity of heat for a minute or two by going into the cold bath, a 

 great accumulation of fenforial power is produced ; for not on- 

 ly the minute vefiels of the whole external fkm for a time be- 

 come inactive, as appears by their palenefs ; but the minute 

 reffrls of the lungs lofe much of their activity alfo by concert 

 with thofe of the fkin, as appears from the difficulty of breath- 

 ing at firft going into cold water. On emerging from the bath 

 the fenforial power is thrown into great exertion by the ftimu- 

 lu of the common degree of the warmth of the atmofphere) and 

 a great production of animal heat is the confequence. The 

 longer a perlbn continues in the cold bath the greater mud be 

 the pefent inertion of a great part of the fyftem, and in conte- 

 querice a greater accumulation of fenforial power. Whence 

 M. Pon.e recommends fome melancholy patients to be kept 

 from two to fix hours in fpring-water and in baths ftill colder. 



6. Decreafe the ftimulus for a time below the natural, and 

 then increafe it above natural. The effect of this procefs, im- 

 pr perly ufed, is feen in giving much food, or applying much 

 warmth, to thofe who have been previoufly expofed to great 

 hunger, or to great cold. The accumulated fenforial power is 

 thrown into fo violent exertion, that inflammations and mortifi- 

 cations fupervene, and death clofes the cataftrophe. In many 

 difeafes this method is the mod fuccefsful j hence the bark iu 

 agues produces more certain effect after the previous exhibition 

 of emetics. In difeafes attended with violent pain, opium has 

 double the effect, if venefection and a cathartic have been pre- 

 vioufly ufed. On this ieenvs to have been founded the fuceeff- 

 ful practice of Sydenham, who ufed venefection and a cathartic 

 m chlorofis before the exhibition of the bark, fleel, and opiates. 



7. Prevent any unneceffary expenditure of fenforial power* 

 Hence in fevers with debility, a decumbent pofture is preferred, 

 with filence, little light, and fuch a quantity of heat as may 

 prevent any chill fenfation, or any coldnefs of the extremities. 

 The pulfe of patients in fevers with debility increafes in fre- 

 quency about ten pulfations in a minute on their rifmg out of 

 bed. For the expenditure of fenforial power to preferve an 

 erect pofture of the body adds to the general deficiency of it, 

 and thus affects the circulation. 



8. The longer in time and the greater in degree the quiefcence 

 or rnertion of an organ has been, fo that it ftill retains life or 

 excitablility, the lefs ftimulus fliould at firft be applied to it. 

 The quantity of ftimulation is a matter of great nicety to de- 

 termine, where the torpor or quiefcence of the fibres has been 

 experienced in a great degree, or for a confiderable time, as in 

 eold fits of the ague, in continued fevers with great debility, or 



in 



