390 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



the body becomes pale ; the organic and animal 

 functions are feeble or irregular ; the individual 

 frequently complains of oppression in the epi- 

 gastric region, from the accumulation of blood. 

 The heart, in such cases, is often subject to pal- 

 pitation, the pulse at the wrist is remarked to be 

 very weak and small, and generally quick ; and 

 when these symptoms are well marked, the tem- 

 perature of the body, in accordance with the 

 character of the above derangements, is less than 

 in the natural state of the system. 



CCCCLXIII. It would be easy to enlarge 

 on the preceding remarks, but I can scarcely 

 point out in a more perspicuous manner than I 

 have endeavoured to explain, the way in which 

 the blood has its vitality diminished for want of 

 the usual chemical changes in the lungs. Ob- 

 servations of this description are important, as 

 tending to explain the way in which the vital 

 fluid is deteriorated ; and if the present views be 

 allowed to be correct, we can now, with perfect 

 ease, speak of mental influence, not as a myste- 

 rious or immaterial power pervading the whole 

 system, but as a cause which gives rise to the 

 different phenomena, from having disturbed the. 

 regularity of the respiratory functions. The prin- 

 ciples which enable us to explain these pheno- 

 mena, by examining the strict relations existing 

 between cause and effect, are precisely the same 



