964 INFLUENCE OF ACUTE PAIN. 



strange that the passes of the animal magnetist 

 should induce sleep, fainting, and catalepsy, than 

 that the rocking of a cradle should put children 

 to sleep. Dr. Wollaston informs us, that while 

 at sea, he caught himself holding his breath, as 

 if waiting till the lurch of the vessel was over. 

 And he very justly referred the languid action 

 of his pulse, the great prostration of strength, to- 

 gether with the nausea and vomiting, to the in- 

 fluence of the ship's motion on the function of 

 respiration. 



In feeble and irritable constitutions, the che- 

 mical function of the lungs is greatly diminished 

 by painful impressions made on the nervous sys- 

 tem. It is well known that compound fractures, 

 extensive burns, painful surgical operations, and 

 protracted labours, or even a painful prick of 

 the hand or foot, are often followed by coldness 

 of the skin, weak pulse, livid countenance, faint- 

 ness, stupor, general prostration of the system, 

 convulsions, and sometimes by death in a few 

 hours. Many of the above symptoms have been 

 caused in children by the irritation of teething, 

 worms, and the presence of indigestible matters 

 in the stomach ; but much oftener by inflammation 

 of the glottis, which impedes the passage of air 

 to the lungs, and destroys life by suffocation. 



