82 OF STIMULUS AND EXERTION. SECT. XII. 2, 



curious; and eggs and feeds in general are reHored 

 to life after many months of torpor by the ftimu- 

 lus of warmth and moiiture. 



The inflammation of fchirrous tumours, which 

 have long exifted in a (late of inaction, is a procefs 

 of this kind; as well as the fenfibility acquired by 

 inflamed tendons and bone.s, which had at their 

 formation a fimilar fenfibility, which had fo long 

 lain dormant in their uninflamed ftate. 



3. If after long quiefccnce from defect of ftimu- 

 lus the fibres, which had previoufly been habitu- 

 ated to perpetual ftimulus, are again expofed to 

 but their ufual quantity of it ; as in thofe who have 

 fuffered the extremes of cold or hunger ; a violent 

 exertion of the affected organ commences, owing, 

 as above explained, to the great accumulation of 

 fenforial power. This violent exertion not only 

 diminiihes the accumulated fpirit of animation, but 

 at the fame time induces pleafure or pain into the 

 fyftem, which, whether it be fucceeded by inflam- 

 mation or not, becomes an additional ftimulus, and 

 acting along with the former one, produces ftill 

 greater exertions ; and thus reduces the fenforial 

 power in the contracting fibres beneath its natural 

 quantity. 



When the fpirit of animation is thus exhaufted 

 by ufelefs exertions, the organ becomes torpid or 

 unexcitable into action, and a fecond fit of quief- 

 cence fucceeds that of abundant activity. During 

 this fecond fit of quiefcencc the fenforial power be- 

 comes again accumulated, and another fit of exer- 

 tion follows in train. Thefe vicitlitudes of exer- 

 tion and inertion of the arterial fyftem conftitute 

 the paroxyfms of remittent fevers ; or intermittent 

 ones, when there is an interval of the natural ac- 

 tion of the arteries between the exacerbations. 



In thefe paroxyfms of fevers, which confift of 

 the libration of the arterial fyftem between the ex- 

 tremes 



