AND ANIMAL LIFE. 33 



many other efforts of Nature, efforts which are 

 treated as diseases, because they disturb the 

 ease and diminish the enjoyment of life. Few 

 things are more disagreeable than a cough ; 

 but I am persuaded, from the character of its 

 action, that it is rather a blessing than a curse in 

 many chronic affections, except when violent ; 

 and many acute states of the system are carried 

 off by this timely agent, particularly those which 

 precede inflammation, or which succeed the 

 severity of its symptoms, when the capillary 

 vessels have lost their usual tone and energy of 

 circulation. The precise mode of its influence 

 will be better understood when we come to the 

 subject of the action of emetics. In concluding, 

 I may remark, that it is probable that more die 

 for want of a cough than of a cough : the idea is 

 strange, but it is a legitimate conclusion from 

 facts or premises that have been carefully con- 

 sidered. 



