AND ANIMAL LIFE. 193 



from the chest have an almost immediate in- 

 fluence, we can scarcely deny that a similar con- 

 sequence will follow if the abdomen be excited 

 or depressed by disease. Respiration in these 

 cases is generally performed by the thorax, and 

 the patient is extremely careful not to draw deep 

 inspirations in which the abdominal muscles are 

 concerned, from the pain which accompanies the 

 attempt. 



The pulse in this affection is small and fre- 

 quent, sometimes hard ; and these are the condi- 

 tions we should expect from a knowledge of the 

 nature and situation of the disease. The lungs 

 are stimulated to an unusual action, but to a less 

 extent than when their own tissue is exclusively 

 implicated, and therefore the sanguineous fluid 

 is not so well adapted, from its changes, to present 

 the strong and bounding pulse. In accordance 

 with this opinion, it may be observed, that in- 

 flammation of the abdominal viscera seldom or 

 never affords the butfy coat equally well marked 

 with that occurring in the thoracic. 



CCXVI. If the symptoms tend to an unfavour- 

 able termination the temperature is lessened, 

 and we have consequences similar to those men^ 

 tioned in ccxiv. The pulse is at times too fre- 

 quent to count, or too feeble to be felt. If we 

 consider the various important organs belonging to 

 the abdomen, and the nature and activity of their 

 functions, it will at once be apparent, whenever 



N 



