jpa OF DRUNKENNESS. SECT. XXL 3 . 



ternal ftimuli, and the reveries of imagination, become fo confpio 

 ous as to amount to a degree of intoxication. The fame is at any 

 time produced by fuperadding a little wine or opium to our com- 

 mon meals ; or by taking thefe feparately in confiderable quan- 

 tity ; and this more efficaciouily after fatigue or inanition ; be- 

 caufe a lefs quantity of any ftimulating material will excite an 

 organ into energetic alion, after it has lately been torpid from 

 defeft of ftimulus ; as objects appear more luminous, after we 

 have been in the dark ; and becaufe the fufpenfion of volition, 

 which is the immediate caufe of fleep, is fooner induced, after a 

 continued voluntary exertion has in part exhaufted the fenforial 

 power of volition ; in the fame manner as we cannot contract 

 a {ingle mufcle long together without intervals of inaftion. 



3. In the beginning of intoxication we are inclined to fleep, 

 as mentioned above, but by the excitement of external circum- 

 Itances, as of noife, light, bufinefs, or by the exertion of volition, 

 we prevent the approaches of it, and continue to take into our 

 itomach greater quantities of the inebriating materials. By thefe 

 means the irritative movements of the ftomach are excited into 

 greater action than is natural ; and in confequence all the irrita- 

 tive tribes and trains of motion, which are catenated with them, 

 become fufceptible of ilronger action from their accuftomed 

 ftimuli ; becaufe thefe motions are excited both by their ufual 

 irritation, and by their aflbciation with the increafed aftions of 

 the (tomach and lacteals. Hence the (kin glows, and the heat 

 of the body is increafed, by the more energetic action of the 

 whole glandular fyftem ; and pleafure is introduced in confe- 

 quence of thefe increafed motions from internal ftimulus. Ac- 

 cording to Law 5. Sect. IV. on Animal Caufation. 



From this great increafe of irritative motions from internal 

 ftimulus, and the increafed fenfation introduced into the fyftem 

 in confequence ; and fecondly, from the increafed fenfitive mo- 

 tions in confequence of this additional quantity of fenfation, fo 

 much fenforial power is expended, that the voluntary power be- 

 comes feebly exerted, and the irritation from the ftimulus of ex- 

 ternal objects is lefs forcible ; the external parts of the eye are 

 not therefore voluntarily adapted to the diftances of objects, 

 whence the apparent motions of thofe objects either are feen 

 double, or become too indiftinct for the purpofe of balancing 

 the body, and vertigo is induced 



Hence we become acquainted with that very curious circum- 

 ftance, why the drunken vertigo is attended with an increafe of 

 pleafure ; for the irritative ideas arid motions occafioned by in- 

 ternal ftimulus, that were not attended to in our fober hours, 

 are now juft fo much increafed as to be fucceeded by pleafurable 



'fenfation, 



