204 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



CCXXVII. Many fevers have undoubtedly 

 been cut short by the timely affusion of cold wa- 

 ter, depletion, emetics, or by sudorifics ; and 

 when such instances occur, it is not improbable 

 that the quick pulse, pain of the head, restlessness, 

 great heat of body, and other febrile symptoms, 

 were not occasioned by inflammation or internal 

 congestions, but by a morbid condition of the 

 skin, retarding the ordinary evaporation from the 

 surface. If other causes be assigned for the ori- 

 gin of such fevers, it is difficult to conceive how 

 the employment of such means can act so imme- 

 diately as to remove them. In former times, when 

 the crisis of disease were much attended to, pro- 

 fuse perspiration, or moisture of the skin, was 

 considered to augur a favourable termination of 

 fever. The physician, in regarding this circum- 

 stance as favourable, was correct ; but he was led 

 to his conclusions by experience alone. If we 

 reflect that the high temperature of the body 

 was, throughout the greater part of the disease, 

 the consequence of diminished evaporation, ex- 

 citing and maintaining disorders in every part 

 of the system, it is manifest that the return of 

 the capillaries to their usual function is a symp- 

 tom we cannot too highly estimate. 



CCXXVIII. If the whole of the system can be- 

 come deranged from a general diminution of eva- 

 poration, giving rise to increase of temperature, 

 the same effect may take place in any single part 



