104 DISEASES CLASS I. 2. 4. 



ORDO II. 



Decreafed Irritation. 



GENUS IV. 

 With deer e fifed AEiions of 'other Cavities and Membranes. 



MANY of the difeafes of this genus are attended with pain, 

 and with cold extremities, both which ceafe on the exhibition 

 of wine or opium 5 which (hews, that they originate from de- 

 iicient action of the altered organ. Thefe pains are called ner- 

 vous or fpafmodic, are not attended with fever, but are fre- 

 quently fucceeded by convuKionsandmadnefs ; both which be- 

 long to the clafs of volition. Some of them return at periods, 

 and when thefe cari be afcertained, a much lefs quantity of opi- 

 um will prevent them, than is neceflary to cute them, when they 

 are begun ; as the vefTels are then torpid and mirritable from 

 the want of fenforial power, till by their inaction it becomes 

 again accumulated. 



Our organs of fenfe, properly fo called, are not liable to pain 

 from the abfence of their appropriated ftimuli, as from darknefs 

 or filence j but the other ienfes, which may be more properly 

 called appetites, as thofe by which we perceive heat, hunger, 

 thirft, luft, want of frefh air, are affected with pain from the de- 

 fect or abfence of their accuftomed ftimuli, as well as with pleaf- 

 ure by the pofTeffion of them ; it is probable that fome of our 

 glands, the fenfe or appetite of which requires or receives fome- 

 thing from the circulating blood, as the pancreas, liver, teftes, 

 proftate gland, may be affected with aching or pain, when they 

 cannot acquire their appropriated fluid. 



Wherever this defett of flimulus occurs, a torpor or inaction 

 of the organ enfues, as in the capillaries of the fkin, when expo- 

 fed to cold ; and in the glands, which fecrete the gaftric juice, 

 when we are hungry. This torpor however, and concomitant 

 pain, which are at firft owing to defect of ftimulus, are after- 

 wards induced by other affociations or catenations, and confti- 

 tute the beginning of ague-fits. 



It muft be further obferved, that in the difeafes of pain with- 

 out fever, the pain is frequently not felt in the part where the 

 caufe of the difeafe refides ; but is induced by fympathy with a 

 diftant part, the irritability or fenfibility of which is greater or 

 lefs than its own. Thus a ftone at the neck of the bladder, if its 

 ftimulus is not very great, only induces the paiu of itrangury at 



the 



