THEORf OF FEVER. SB*. I. 8. 12. 



chlorofis, the pulfations of the heart and arteries are weaker than 

 natural, arid are fometimes attended with occafionally increafed 

 action of the capillaries ; as appears from the flufhings of the 

 face, and hot fkin, which generally form an evening febricula in 

 difeafes attended with weak digeftion. 



12. The increafed aclion, or orgafm, of the cutaneous, pul- 

 monary, and cellular capillaries, with their fecerning and abforb- 

 cnt veflels, in thofe fevers which are attended with deficiency 

 of vital adHon, exhaufts the patient both by the additional ex- 

 penditure of fenforial power on thofe organs of fecretion, and 

 by the too great abforption of the mucus and fat of the body ; 

 whence great debility and great emaciation. Hence one great 

 indication of cure of continued fever with arterial debility is to 

 diminifh the too great aclion of the capillaries j which is to be 

 done by frequent ablutions, or bathing the whole {kin in tepid or 

 in cold water, as recommended by Dr. Currie of Liverpool 

 (Philof. Tranf. for 1792), for half an hour, twice a day, or at 

 thofe times when the fkin feels dryeft and hotteft. Much cool 

 air fhould alfo be admitted, when the breath of the patient feels 

 hot to one's hand ; or when the tongue, efpecially its middle 

 part, is dry, and covered with a cruft of indurated mucus ; as 

 thefe indicate the increafed aft ion of the pulmonary capillaries ; 

 in the fame manner as the dry and hot fkin indicates the orgafm 

 of the cutaneous capillaries 5 and the emaciation of the body 

 that of the cellular ones. 



For this purpofe of abating the action of the capillaries by 

 frequent ablution or fomentation, water of any degree of heat 

 beneath that of the body will be of fervice, and ought in accu- 

 rate language to be called a cold bath ; but the degree of cold- 

 nefs, where the patient is fenfible, mould in fome meafure be 

 governed by his fenfations ; as it is probable, that the degree of 

 coldnefs, which is moft grateful to him, will alfo be of the great- 

 eft benefit to him. See Clafs III. 2. I. 12. and Article 15. of 

 this Supplement. 



Another great ufe of frequent ablutions, or fomentations, or 

 baths, in fevers, where the ftomach is in fome degree torpid, is 

 to fupply the fyftem with aqueous fluid by means of the cutane- 

 ous abforbents ; which is diffipated fafter by the increafed ac- 

 tion of the fecerning capillaries, than the ftomach can furnifh, 

 and occafions great thirft at the intervals of the ficknefs. 



IX. Torpor of the Lungs. 



i . The lungs in many cafes of contagion may firft be affect- 

 ed with torpor, and the fkin become cold by fympathy ; in the 



fame 



