THEORY OF FEVER. 685 



the transition of caloric from blood to the solids 

 is greatly diminished. But as the function of 

 respiration, though greatly impaired, still con- 

 tinues to go on, the caloric thus evolved and 

 imparted to the blood, gradually raises its tem- 

 perature above the natural standard, by which 

 the action of the heart is augmented, until the 

 obstruction in the systemic capillaries is over- 

 come, and the superfluous caloric is transferred 

 to the solids, or carried off by the different 

 emunctories, when the fever subsides. 



If the blood be not constantly depurated by 

 the elimination of sweat, urine, and other excre- 

 mentitious matters, its vital properties are im- 

 paired, and the springs of life vitiated at the 

 fountain head. For example, if there be 3lbs. of 

 water exhaled from the skin every twenty-four 

 hours, and perspiration be checked by exposure 

 to cold, the chemical and vital character of the 

 blood must be more or less changed, unless pre- 

 vented by a copious flow of urine. Or if the 

 amount of carbon and hydrogen exhaled from 

 the lungs be greatly diminished, as during the 

 cold stage of all maladies, the blood is no longer 

 renovated as in health, but becomes grumous 

 and dark coloured, and loses the power of uniting 

 with the various tissues. It has also been found, 

 that when the kidneys are extirpated, the ani- 

 mal is seized with difficult respiration, shivering, 

 coma, fever, vomiting, purging, typhoid symp- 



