446 DISEASES OF IRRITATION. SECT XXXII. 10. 



as appears in partial flufhings, as of the face or 

 bofom, while the extremities are cold; and in the 

 increafe of particular fccretions, as of bile, faliva, 

 infenfible perfpiration, with great heat of the fkin, 

 or with partial fweats,or diarrhoea. 



There are alfo many uneafy fenfations attending 

 thefe increafed actions, which, like thofe belonging 

 to the hot fit of fever with (hong pulfe, are fre- 

 quently followed by inflammation, as in fcarlet fe- 

 ver ; which inflammation is neverthelefs accompa- 

 , nied with a pulfe weaker, though quicker, than the 

 pulfe during the remiflion or intermiflion of the pa- 

 roxyfms, though flronger than that of the previous 

 cold fit. 



From hence I conclude, that both the cold and 

 hot fits of fever are neceflary confequences of the 

 perpetual and inceflant action of the arterial and 

 glandular fyftem fince thofe mufcular fibres, and thofe 

 organs of fenfe, which are moft frequently exerted, 

 become neceflarily moft affected both with defect 

 and accumulation of fenforiai power: and that hence 

 fcwr-fts are not an effort of nature to relieve herfelf, 

 and that therefore they mould always be prevented 

 or diminifhed as much as poflible, by any means 

 which decreafe the general or partial vafcular acti- 

 ons, when they are greater, or by increafing them 

 when they are lefs than in health, as defcribed in 

 Sed. XII. 6. i. 



Thus have I endeavoured to explain, and I hope 

 to the farisfaction of the candid and patient reader, 

 the principal fymptoms or circumftances of fever 

 without the introduction of the fupernatural power 

 of fpafm. To the arguments in favour or' the doc* 

 trine of fpafm it may be fufficient to reply, that in 

 the evolution of medical as well as of dramatic ca- 

 taftrophe, 



Ncc Deftft intcrfit, nifi dignus vindicc nodus incident. 



HOR. 



SECT. 



