488 THEORY OF FEVER. SUP. I. 12. 12. 



whence long ficknefs, ar continued fever, becaufe the quantity 

 of fenforial power already wafted miifl firft be renewed, before 

 an accumulation of it can be produced. 



12. This leads us to a fecond indication of cure in continued 

 fevers, which con fids in flrengthening the actions of the ftom- 

 ach ; as the fir ft indication confifted in decreafing the actions 

 of the cutaneous capillaries and abforbents. The actions of the 

 iiomachmay fometimes be increafed by exhibiting a mild emet- 

 ic ; as an accumulation of fenforial power in the fibres of the 

 ftomach is produced during their retrograde actions. Befides 

 the evacuation of any noxious material from the ftomach, and 

 duodenum, and from the abforbents, which open their mouths 

 on their internal furfaces, by their retrograde motion. 



It is probable, that when mild eYnetics are given, as ipecacu- 

 anha, or antimonium tartarizatum, or infufion of camomile, 

 they are rejected by an inverted motion of the ftomach and 

 cefophfgns in confluence of difagreeable fenfation, as duft is 

 excluded from the eye ; and thefe actions having by previous 

 habit been found effectual, and that hence there is no exhauftion 

 of the fenforial power of irritation. But where ftrong emetics 

 nre admimftered, as digitalis, or contagious matter, the previous 

 exhauftion of the fenforial power of irritation feems to be a 

 caufe of the continued retrograde actions and ficknefs of the 

 ftomach. An emetic of the former kind may therefore ftrength- 

 cn the power of the ftomach immediately after its operation by 

 the accumulation of fenforial power of irritation during its ac- 

 tion. -See Clafs IV. I. i. 



Another method of decrenfmg the action of the ftomach for 

 a time, and thence of increafing it afterwards, is by the accumu- 

 lation of the fenforial power of irritation during its torpor ; is 

 by giving ice, iced water, iced creams, or iced wine. This ac- 

 counts for the plenfure, which many people in fevers with weak 

 pulfe exprefs on drinking cold beverage of any kind. 



A fecond method of exciting the ftomach into action, and of 

 decreafing that of the capillaries in confequence, is by the ftimu- 

 lus of wine, opium, bark, metallic falts of antimony, fteel, cop- 

 per, arfenic, given in fmall repeated quantities ; which fo long 

 r.s they render the pulfe flower are certainly of fervice, and may 

 be given warm or cold, as moft agreeable to the patient. For it 

 is poflible, that the capillaries of the ftomach may act too vio- 

 lently, and produce heat, at the fame time that the large mufcles 

 of it may be in a torpid ftate ; which curious circumftance future 

 obfervations muft determine. 



Thirdly. Hot fomentation on the region of the ftomach 

 might be of moft effential fervice by its ftimulus, as heat pene- 

 trates 



