4*8 DISEASES OF IRRITATION. SECT. XXXII. 4 



The whole arterial fyftem would appear, by the ex- 

 periments of Haller, to be iiritable by no other 

 flimulus, and the motiont of the heart and ali- 

 mentary canal are certainly in fome meafure de- 

 pendant on the fame caufe. SeeSe&.XIV. 7. Hence 

 there can be no wonder, that the diminution of 

 detention fhould frequently induce the quiefcence, 

 which Conftitutes the beginning of fever-fits. 



Monfieur Leiutaud has judicioufly mentioned the 

 deficiency of the quantity of blood amongft the 

 caufes of difeafes, which he fays is frequently evi- 

 dent in diiTeclions : fevers are hence brought on by 

 great haemorrhages, diarrhoeas, 01 other evacuations; 

 or from the continued ufe of diet, which contains 

 but little nourifhment; or from the exhauftion oc 

 caiioned by violent fatigue, or by thofe chronic dif 

 cafes in which the digeftion is much impaired ; ai 

 where the ftomach has been long affe&ed with th< 

 gout or fc birr us ; or in the paralyfis of the liver, 

 as deferibed in Sedt. XXX. Hence a paroxyfm o; 

 gout is liable to recur on bleeding or purging ; as 

 the torpor of fome vifcus, which precedes the in 

 flamma'tion of the foot, is thus induced by the want 

 of the ftimulus of diftention. And hence the e>; 

 tremities of the body, as the nofe and fingers, are 

 more liable to become cold, when we have long 

 abftained from food; arid hence the pulfe is increaf- 

 ed both in ftrength and velocity above the natural 

 Ihndard after a full meal by the ftimulus of dif- 

 tention. 



However, this ftimulus of diftention, like th 

 ftimulus of heat above defcribed, thougb it contr 

 butes much to the due adlion not only of the heart, 

 arteries, aud alimentary canal, but feems neceflary 

 to the proper fee ret ion of all the various glands ; 

 yet perhaps it is not the fole caufe of any of thele 

 numerous motions: for as the lacleals, cutaneous 

 abforbents, and the various glands appear to be 



(Umulaied 



