co DISEASES CLASS I. i. 5. i r. 



In thefe cafes the irritability is lefs than natural, though it is 

 erroneoufly fuppofed to be greater j and the mind is bufied in 

 exciting a train of ideas inattentive to external objefts ; when 

 this train of ideas is difievered by any unexpected ftimulus, fur- 

 prifeis excited ; as explained in Sect. XVII. 3. 7. and XVIII. 

 17. then as the fenfibility in thefe cafes is greater, fear becomes 

 fuperadded to the furprife ; and convuliions in confequence of 

 the pain of fear. See Sect. XIX. 2. 



The proximate caufe of furprife is the increafed irritation in- 

 duced by fome violent ftimulus, which dilTevers our ufual trains 

 of ideas ; but in difeafes of inirritability the frequent ftarting or 

 furprife from founds not uncommon, but rather louder than ufu- 

 al, as the clapping of a door, mews, that the attention of the pa- 

 tient to a train of fenfitive ideas was previoufly ftronger than 

 natural, and indicates an incipient delirium j which is therefore 

 worth attending to in febrile difeafes* 



ORDO 





