Sur. I. 8. 8. THEORY OF FEVER. 467 



aflbciated motions catenated with it ; as the capillaries of the 

 lungs become torpid immediately on immerfion of the fkin into 

 cold water ; yet in fome fituations an orgafm or excefs of action 

 is produced in the firft link of the aflbciated motions thus cate- 

 nated with irritative ones ; as ia the increafed action of the 

 ftomach, when the fkin is for a time expofed to cold air ; which 

 may in part be afcribed to the genera} increafe of action of the 

 whole fyftem, owing to the diminifhd expenditure of fenforial 

 power, but particularly of the parts, which have habitually act- 

 ed together ; as when one arm is paralytic the other is liable to 

 more frequent or almoft continual motion ; and when one eye 

 becomes blind the other frequently becomes ftronger ; which is 

 well known to farriers, who are faid fometimes to deftroy the 

 fight of one eye to ftrengthen that of the other in difeafed horfes. 



Hence there is fometimes a direct fympathy, and fometimes 

 a reverfe one fucceeds the torpor occafioned by defect of ftimu- 

 lus, the latter of which is perhaps owing to a certain time be- 

 ing required for the production of an accumulation of the fen- 

 forial power of irritation by the nervous branches of the tor- 

 pid organ ; which accumulation is now in part or entirely de* 

 rived to the next link of the aflbciation. Thus in going into a 

 coldifh bath, as into a river in the fummer months, we at firft 

 experience a difficulty of breathing from the torpid action of the 

 pulmonary capillaries, owing to the deficient excitement of the 

 fenforial power of aflbciation in confequence of the torpor of the 

 cutaneous capillaries. But in a very fhort time, as in one minr 

 ute, the fenforial power of irritation becomes accumulated by 

 the inactivity of the cutaneous capillaries ; and as its fuperabun- 

 dance becomes now expended on the pulmonary capillaries, the 

 difficult refpiration ceafes ; though the cutaneous capillaries con- 

 tinue torpid by their contact with the cold water, and confe- 

 quently the fenforial power of aflbciation, which ufed to con- 

 tribute to actuate the pulmonary capillaries, is lefs excited. 



8. In like manner when there exilts an accumulation of the 

 fenforial power of aflbciation, owing to defect of its excitement 

 by fome previous irritative or aflbciate motions, it is generally 

 accompanied for a certain time by a torpor not only of the link 

 firft affected, but of the fubfequent parts, or of the whole train 

 of aflbciated motions, as in the cold fits of intermittent fevers. 

 Yet after a time an increafed action of the next links of aflbci- 

 ated motions fucceeds the torpor of the firft, as the abforbent 

 veflels of the lungs act more violently in confequence 9f the de- 

 ficient action of thofe of the ftomach ; and the (kin at the com- 

 mencement of ficknefs is pale and cold, but in a little time be- 

 comes flufhed and warm. 



Thus 



