ORIGIN OF DISEASE AND THE GERM THEORY. 165 



with pain, brings about, to a greater or less extent, the associates 

 of work, and this not only in healthy animals, but also in those 

 which are suffering from the abnormal processes of disease. 



In continuance of our discussion we now turn to the subject of 

 fear. 



All gradations may be witnessed in man and animals betwixt 

 the ready action of fear and the incoordination and paralysis of 

 fright. Fright may bring on palpitation, an irregular and in- 

 termittent beat, or a cessation of the beat. The paralysing effect 

 of fright is well known. 



While, then, fear calls up the associates of work, the exertion 

 needed for escape, or that of the fight, fright is fear carried to 

 such excess that paralysis ensues. 



Hence it is the case that, of our therapeutic measures, those 

 which excite to action on the one hand, and those which induce 

 rest on the other, are of great importance. Among the former 

 we may include physical work, external light and heat, noise, 

 food, out-of-door scenery, stimulants, tonics ; while among the 

 latter we may mention reduction of work, of external light and 

 heat, of noise, and of food, sedatives, venesection, reduction of 

 irritation, of pain, and of excitement, not only that of pleasure, 

 but also that produced by fear. 



Tales of success excite and stimulate, those of happiness 

 produce happiness, tales of failure depress, and it must be re- 

 membered that in some cases of diseases excitement is more 

 easily produced than it is in health. 



Dr. D. A. Gresswell relates the case of a boy in the con- 

 valescent stage of pneumonia, who was so excited by a noisy 

 delirious patient in the next bed, that his temperature rose from 

 the normal point straightway to 104*4 deg. F. About an hour 

 and a half later, his temperature had fallen 1*8 deg. F., so as to 

 be 102*6 deg. F., and next morning at 8 a.m. it was 98*2 deg. F. 

 It then oscillated up and down for seven days, after which 

 it remained at the normal. Similarly, a patient, convalescing 

 from enteric fever, if excited by pleasure or by fear, almost 

 always expresses the excitement by a rise of temperature. 



And now, in conclusion, let us for a brief moment cast a swift 

 glance backwards at the glorious history of science. How 

 clearly does it appear, when we do so, that its gradual but sure 

 growth in accordance with all the co-operating factors, and also 



