SECT. XXXIL 3. 4. OF IRRITATION. 289 



fever-fit ; for the pulfe is weak, fmall, and quick during the 

 cold immerfion ; and becomes itrong, full, and quick during 

 the fubfequent glow of heat ; till in a few minutes thefe fymp- 

 toms fubfide, and the temporary fever ceafes. 



In thofe conftitutions where the degree of inirritability, or of 

 debility, is greater than natural, the coldnefs and palenefs of 

 the fkin with the quick and weak pulfe continue a long time 

 after the patient leaves the bath ; and the fubfequent heat ap- 

 proaches by unequal flufliings, and he feels himfelf difordered 

 for many hours. Hence the bathing in a cold fpring of water, 

 where the heat is but forty eight degrees on Fahrenheit's ther- 

 mometer, much difagrees with thofe of weak or inirritable hab- 

 its of body ; who poflels fo little fenforial power, that they 

 cannot without injury bear to have it diminiihed even for a 

 fhort time ; but who can neverthelefs bear the more temperate 

 coldnefs of Buxton bath, which is about eighty degrees of heat, 

 and which ftrengthens them, and makes them by habit lefs lia- 

 ble to great quiefcence from fmall variations of cold ; and thence 

 lefs liable to be difordered by the unavoidable accidents of life. 

 Hence it appears, why people of thefe inirritable conftitutions, 

 which is another expreflion for fenforial deficiency, are often 

 much injured by bathing in a cold fpring of water ; and why 

 they mould continue but a very ftiort time in baths, which are 

 colder than their bodies ; and mould gradually increafe both 

 the degree of the coldnefs of the water, and the time of their 

 continuance in it, if they would obtain falutary effects from cold 

 immerfions. See Seel. XIL 2. i. 



On the other hand, in all cafes where the heat of the exter- 

 nal furface of the body, or of the internal fuvface of the lungs, 

 is greater than natural, the ufe of expofure to 'cool air may be 

 deduced. In fever fits attended with ftrength, that is with 

 great quantity of fenforial power, it removes the additional ftim- 

 ulus of heat from the furfaces above mentioned, and thus pre- 

 vents their excefs of ufelefs motion ; and in fever fits attended 

 with debility, that is with a deficiency of the quantity of fenfo- 

 rial power, it prevents the great and dangerous wafte of fenfo- 

 rial power expended in the unnecefTary increafe of the actions 

 of the glands and capillaries of the ikin and lungs. 



4. In the fame manner when any one is long expofed to 

 very cold air, a quiefcence is produced of the cutaneous and 

 pulmonary capillaries and abforbents, owing to the deficiency 

 of their ufual llimulus of hear ; and this quiefcence of fo great 

 a quantity of veifels affects, by irritative aflbciation, the whole 

 abforbent and glandular fyftem, which becomes in a greater or 

 *cfs degree quiefcent, and a cold fit of fever is produced. 



. I. o o K 



