440 THE LAWS OF ORGANIC 



flammation of one or other of the membranes 

 that form the intestines. How much soever dis- 

 tinguished individuals may differ among them- 

 selves on this subject, it is probable that few, if 

 any, will dissent from the view which I take in 

 explaining the action of those agents that occa- 

 sion the disease ; nor will they, perhaps, consider 

 the outline which I give of the pathology of the 

 disease incorrect, if they reflect on the results of 

 dissection in such cases ; and still less, if they in- 

 vestigate the operation of those means success- 

 fully employed in its cure. Dysentery is most 

 frequent in autumn, and from this reason is 

 thought, by some, to be caused by the abund* 

 ance of fruit which this season particularly af- 

 fords. The human constitution must at all times 

 adapt itself to the great changes of the year. The 

 respiration and circulation, the secretions and 

 other organic functions have not the same action 

 in winter that they have in summer ; and, there- 

 fore, one or other of these is liable to be dis- 

 ordered, if these alterations be too severe or too 

 mild for the proper performance of its office. In 

 summer the pulse is quick and full, the animal 

 heat higher than in any other season ; and if we 

 are to judge from these and other well-marked 

 phenomena, we should state that the circulation 

 is external rather than internal at this period, or 

 that the Mood is more generally distributed over the 

 surface of the body. In autumn, there are, occa- 



