?6 TORPENTIA. ART. VII. 2. 3. *. 



fibres ; now an incrcafed application of heat is followed by an 

 increased action of the fibres expofed to it ; but an increafed 

 application of cold is followed by a decreafed action of the fibres 

 expofed to it; as appears by the rednefs of our hands when 

 warmed by the fire* and the palenefs of them, when they have 

 been a while covered with fnow. 



A painful fenfation fucceeds the defect as well as the excefs 

 of the ftimulus of heat, as mentioned in Vol. L Seel IV. 5. 

 and the voluntary exertions of the fubcutaneous mufcles called 

 (huddering, are excited to relieve the pain occafioned by the tor- 

 por of the fibres expofed to cold ; and thofe of the mufcles 

 fubfervient to refpiration are voluntarily excited in fcreaming to 

 relieve the pain occafioned by heat, which may have occafioned 

 the error above mentioned. 



Others have fpoken of a fedative quality of cold, which is cer- 

 tainly an unphilofophical expreflion ; as a fedative power, if it 

 lias any diftinct meaning, mould exprefs a power of diminifhing 

 any unnatural or exceflive motions of the fyftem ; but the ap- 

 plication of cold diminimes the activity of the fibres in general, 

 which may previoufly be lefs than natural, as well as greater. 



All the fame fymptoms occur in the cold fits of intermit- 

 tents ; in thefe the coldnefs and palenefs of the ikin with thirit 

 evince the diminution of cutaneous ablbrption ; and the clrynefs 

 of ulcers, and fmall fecretion of urine, evince the torpor of the 

 fecerning fyftem ; and the anhelation, and coldnefs of the 

 breath, (hew the terminations of the pulmonary artery to be 

 likewife affected with torpor., 



After thefe veflels of the whole furf ace of the body both ab- 

 forbent and fecretory have been for a time torpid by the appli- 

 cation of cold water -, and all the internal fecerning and aforb- 

 ent ones have been made torpid from their aflbciation with the 

 external ; as foon as their ufua! (limulus of warmth is renewed, 

 they are thrown into more than their ufual energy of action ; 

 as the hands become hot and painful on approaching the fire 

 after having been immerfed fome time in fnow. Hence the 

 face becomes of a red colour in a cold day on turning from the 

 wind, and the infenfible perfpiration increafed by repeatedly go- 

 ing into frofty air, but not continuing in it too long at a time. 



2. When by the too great warmth of a room or of clothes 

 the fecretion of perfpirable matter is much increafed, the ftrength 

 of the patient is much exhaufted by this unnecefiary exertion of 

 the capillary fy item, and thence of the whole fecerning and ar- 

 terial fyilem by aflbciation. The diminution of external heat 

 immediately induces a torpor or quiefcence of thefe unneceflary 

 exertions, and the patient ^inftantly feels himfelf ftrengthenec^ 



and 



