252 THE LAWS OF OllGAXIC 



most powerful agent that we possess for coun- 

 teracting the baneful consequences induced by 

 opium, I have proved by direct experiment on 

 myself and another gentleman, that whenever vo- 

 miting is promoted, the blood is immediately more 

 equally distributed throughout the system, and, 

 as a necessary sequence, that the temperature of 

 the body is increased, in accordance with the first 

 principle, viz. " that animal heat is not in the 

 direct ratio of the quantity of oxygen inhaled, but 

 in the inverse ratio of the quantity of blood ex- 

 posed to this principle''' 



CCLXXIV. It is therefore advisable to em- 

 ploy vomiting in these cases as frequently as 

 possible ; it tends to relieve the congested lungs, 

 and allows the blood to undergo more perfect 

 changes, indispensable to overcome the injurious 

 influence of the poison and the highly venous 

 state of the blood. 



CCLXXV. When an individual is in a sopo- 

 rose condition from the effects of opium, it is 

 recommended that he be kept continually walk- 

 ing, as if this action were beneficial beyond the 

 mere exercise of muscular power improving or 

 maintaining the circulation, and exciting the res- 

 piratory function, by keeping the mind awake to 

 the impressions made on the respiratory nerves 

 as explained in CCLXVII. If, instead of adhering 

 to these inefficient means, we promoted vomiting 

 by medicines whose operation is not preceded 



