i 4 6 CATENATION SECT. XVII. i. 9 



and another in her arm, which occurred four or five times every 

 minute ; the mufcles were feen to leap, but without bending the 

 arm. fo counteract this new morbid habit, an iilue was placed 

 over the convul ed mufcle of her arm, and an adhefive plaitei? 

 wrapped tight like a bandage over the whole fore arm, by which 

 the new motions were immediately deftroyed, but the means 

 were continued fame weeks to prevent a return. 



y. If any circle of actions is diifcvered v either by omiflion of 

 fome of the links, as in fleep, or by iniertion of other links, as 

 in furprife, new catenations take place in a greater or lefs degree. 

 The laft link of the broken chain of actions becomes connected 

 with the new motions which has broken it, or with that which 

 was neareft the link omitted ; and thefe new catenations pro- 

 ceed inftead of the old ones. Hence the periodic returns of 

 ague-fits, and the chimeras of our dreams. 



10. If a train of a&ions is dhTevered, much effort of volition 

 or fenfation will prevent its being reftored. Thus in the com- 

 mon impediment of fpeech, when the affociation of the motions 

 of the mufcles of enunciation with the idea of the word to be 

 fpoken is difordered, the great voluntary efforts, which diftort 

 the countenance, prevent the rejoining of the broken aflbcia- 

 tions. hee No. II i o. of this Section. It is thus hkewife ob- 

 fervable in fome inflammations of the bowels, the too ftrong ef- 

 forts made by the mufcles to carry forwards the offending ma- 

 terial fixes it more firmly in its place, and prevents the cure. So 

 in endeavouring to recal to our memory fome particular word 

 of a fentence, if we exert ourfelves too flrongly about it, we are 

 lefs likely to regain it. 



1 1. Catenated trains or tribes of action are eafier diflevered 

 than catenated circles of action. Hence in epileptic fits the 

 fynchronous connected tribes of action, which keep the body 

 erect, are diflevered, but the circle of vital motions continues 

 undifturbed. 



12 S!?ep deftroys the power of volition, and precludes the 

 ftimuli of external objects, and thence diffevers the trains, of 

 which thefe are a part - 9 which confirms the other catenations, 

 as thofe of the vital motions, fecretions, and abforptions ; and 

 produces the new trains of ideas, which conflitute our dreams. 



II. i. All the preceding circumilances of the catenations of 

 animal motions will be more clearly underftood by the follow- 

 ing example of a perfon learning mufic : and when we recollect 

 the variety of mechanic arts, which are performed by aflbciated 

 trains of mufcular actions catenated with the effects they pro- 

 duce, as in knitting, netting, weaving ^ and the greater variety 

 of aflociated trains of ideas caufed, or catenated by volitions or 



fenfations. 



