78 TORPENTIA. ART. VII. 2. 3. 4, 



Parkinibii of Leieefter applies cold ingenioufly to burns, and to 

 inflammations of the eyes by covering the part with a bladder 

 of the greatefl tenuity, which is kept perpetually moiitened for 

 many hours, (perhaps 24 or 36) by alcohol or highly rectified 

 fpirit of wine. In opththalrnia the eyelids were thus covered 

 with thin bladder, and rectified fpirit of wine was applied by 

 means of a fponge to the bladder for iome hours ; which fucceed- 

 ed, after faterine lotions had been ufed in vain, and deftroyed 

 the inflammation as foon as two ounces of alcohol had been 

 confumed. Perhaps ether by its quicker evaporation might be 

 more fpeedily affect ual ? or fnow or ice thawed more haftily 

 by the addition of acid of nitre ? 



3. After immerfion in cold water or in cold air the whole 

 fyftem becomes more excitable by the natural degree of ftimu- 

 3 us, as appears from the fubfequent glow on the Ikin of people 

 otherwife pale : and even by a degree of ilimulus lefs than natur- 

 al, as appears by their becoming warm in a (hort time during 

 their continuance in a bath, of about 80 degrees of heat, as in 

 Buxton bath. See Sett. XII. 2. i. XXXII 3 3. 



This increafed exertion happens to the -abforbent vefTels more 

 particularly, as they are fir ft and moft affected by thefe tempo- 

 rary diminutions of heat ; and hence, like the medicines, which 

 promote abforption, the cold bath contributes to ftrengthen the 

 conftitution, that is to increafe its irritability ; for the difeafes, 

 attended with weaknefs, as nervous fevers and hyfteric difeafes, 

 are (hewn in Sect XXXII, 2. i. to proceed from a want of ir- 

 ritability, not from an excefs of it. Hence the digellion is 

 greater in frofty weather, and the quantity of perfpiration. For 

 thefe purpofes the application of cold mull not be continued too 

 long. For in riding a journey in cold weather, when the feet 

 are long kept too cold, the digeftion is impaired, and cardialgia 

 produced. 



4. If the diminution of external heat be too great, produced 

 too haflily, or continued too long, the torpor of the fyftem ei- 

 ther becomes fo great, that the animal ceafes to live -, or fo 

 great an energy of motion or orgafm of the veilels fucceeds, as 

 to produce fever or inflammation. This moft frequently hap- 

 pens after the body has been temporarily heated by exercife, 

 warm rooms, anger, or intemperance. Hence colds are produ- 

 ced in the external air by reftmg after exercife, or by drinking, 

 eold water See Ciafs I 2. 2. i. 



Frequent cold immerfions harden or invigorate the conftitu- 

 tion, which they effect by habituating the body to bear a dimi- 

 mution of heat on its furface without being thrown into iuch 

 extenfive torpor or quiefcence by the confent of the vefTels oi: 

 fhe fkin with the pulmonary and glandular fyftem , as thofe 



experience, 



