256 THEORY OF DISEASE 



A deficiency of resistance, in a living part, to the 

 causes of waste is, obviously, a deficiency of resist- 

 ance to the action of the oxygen of the atmosphere. 



When, from any cause whatever, this resistance 

 diminishes in a living part, the change of matter 

 increases in an equal degree. 



Now, since the phenomena of motion in the ani- 

 mal body are dependant on the change of matter, 

 the increase of the change of matter in any part is 

 followed by an increase of all motions. According 

 to the conducting power of the nerves, the available 

 force is carried away by the nerves of involuntary 

 motion alone, or by all the nerves together. 



Consequently, if, in consequence of a diseased 

 transformation of living tissues, a greater amount of 

 force be generated than is required for the produc- 

 tion of the normal motions, it is seen in an accele- 

 ration of all or some of the involuntary motions, as 

 well as in a higher temperature of the diseased part. 



This condition is called fever. 



When a great excess of force is produced by 

 change of matter, the force, since it can only be 

 consumed by motion, extends itself to the apparatus 

 of voluntary motion. 



This state is called a febrile paroxysm. 



In consequence of the acceleration of the circu- 

 lation in the state of fever, a greater amount of 

 arterial blood, and, consequently, of oxygen, is con- 

 veyed to the diseased part, as well as to all other 

 parts ; and if the active force in the healthy parts 



