PERIODS OF DISEASES. SECT. XXXVl-a, 



the parts, which exert during this cold fit lefs than 

 their natural quantity of adion. 2. If the caufe 

 producing the cold fit does not increafe, or becomes 

 Siminifhed ; the parts before benumbed or inadive 

 become now excitable by fmaller ftimulus, and are 

 thence thrown into more violent a6Uon than is na- 

 tural ; that is, a hot fitfucceeds the cold one. 3. 

 By the energetic a6tion of the fyftem during the 

 hot fit, if it continues long, an exhauftion of the 

 fprit of animation takes place, and another cold fit 

 is liable to fucceed, from the moving fyftem not 

 being excitable into a&ion from its uiual ftimulus. 

 This inirritability of the fyftem from a too great 

 previous ftimulus, and confequent exhauftion of 

 fenforial power, is the caufe of , the general debi- 

 lity, and ficknefs, and head ach, fonie hours after 

 intoxication. And hence we fee one of the caufes 

 of the periods of fever-fits ; which however are fre- 

 quently combined with the periods of our diurnal 

 habits^ or of heat and cold, or of folar or lunar pe- 

 riods. 



When befides the tendency to quiefcence occa- 

 iioned by the expenditure of ienforial power during 

 the hot fit of fever, fome other caufe of torpor, as 

 the folar or lunar periods, is neceffary to the in- 

 troduction of a fecond cold fit ; the fever becomes 

 of the intermittent kind ; that is, there is a t fpace of 

 time intervenes between the end of the hot fit, and 

 the commencement of the next cold one. But where 

 BO exteriour caufe is neceflfary to the introduction 

 of the fecond cold fit ; no fuch interval of health 

 intervenes ; but the fecond cold fit commences, as 

 foon as the fenforial power is fufficiently exhaufted 

 by the hot fit ; and the fever becomes continual. 



II. i. The following are natural animal a&ions, 

 which are frequently catenated with our daily habits 

 of life, as well as excited by their natural irritati- 

 ons The periods of hunger and thirft become 



catenated 



