DISEASES CLASS IV. i. i. 3. 



of the ftomach is iricreafed by direct fympathy with that of the 

 fk'm ; and the tendency to vomit, which was owing to its di- 

 minifhed action, ceafes. 



3. Ceffhtio tfgrhudlms cute excitatd. The cure of ficknefs by 

 ftimulating the fkin. This is explained in the preceding arti- 

 cle ; and further noticed in IV. 2. 2. 4. and in IV. i. i. F. 



Similar to thefe is the effect of a blifter on the back in reliev- 

 ing ficknefs, indigeftion, and heart-burn ; and, on the contrary, 

 by thefe fymptoms being frequently induced by coldnefs of the 

 extremities. The blifter ftimulates the cutaneous veffels into 

 greater action; whence ' warmth and pain are produced at the 

 fame time, and the fibres of the itomach are excited into greater 

 action by their afTociation with thofe of the (kin. It does not 

 appear, that the concommitant pain of the blifter caufes the in- 

 creafed energy of the ftomach, ! becaufe the motions of it are not 

 greater than natural j though it is fometimes difficult to deter- 

 mine, whether the primary part of fome afTociated trains be 

 connected with irritative or fenfitive motions. 



In the fame manner a flannel fhirt, to one who has not been 

 in the habit of wearing one, ftimulates the fkin by its points, 

 and thus (tops vomiting in fome cafes ; and is particularly effi- 

 cacious in checking fome chronical diarrhoeas, which are not at- 

 tended with fever ; for the abforbents of the fkin are thus ftim- 

 ulated into greater action, with which thofe of the inteitines 

 confent by direct fympathy. 



This effect cannot be afcribed to the warmth alone of the 

 flannel fhirt, as being a covering of loofe texture, and confining 

 air in its pores, like a fponge, which air is known to be a bad 

 'conductor of heat, fince in that cafe its ufe fhould be equally 

 efficacious, if it were worn over a linen fhirt ; and an increafed 

 warmth of the room of the patient would be equally ferviceable. 



4. DJgeftto auftaf rigor e ctttaneo. Digeilion increafed by cold- 

 nefs of the fkin. Every one has experienced the increafe of 

 3ns appetite after walking in the cool air in frofty days ; for 

 there is at this time not only a faving of fenforial power by the 

 lefs exertion of the cutaneous veflels ; but, as thefe confent with 

 thofe of the ftomach and bowels, this faving of fenforial power 

 is transferred by reverfe fympathy from the cutaneous capilla- 

 ries and abforbent.s to thofe of the ftomach and interlines. 



Hence weak people fhould ufe the cold air of -winter as a cold 

 bath , that is, they fliould ftay in it but a fhort time at once, 

 but fhould immerfe themfelves in it many times a day. 



5. Gatarrhus a f rigor e cutaneo. Catarrh from cold fkin. This 

 has been already explained in Clafs I. 1.2. 7. and is further 

 defcribcd in Sed. XXXV. 1.3, In this difeafe the veflels of 



the 



