244 THEORY OF DISEASE. 



grees below the usual point, that by this slight degree 

 of cdoling the death of the oldest and weakest, males 

 as well as females, is brought about. They are found 

 lying tranquilly in bed, without the slightest symptoms 

 of disease, or of the usual recognisable causes of death. 

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

 causes of waste is, obviously, a deficiency of resistance 

 to the action of the oxygen of the atmosphere. 



When, from any cause whatever, this resistance di- 

 minishes in a living part, the change of matter increases 

 in an equal degree. 



Now, since the phenomena of motion in the animal 

 body are dependent on the change of matter, the in- 

 crease of the change of matter in any part is followed 

 by an increase of all motions. According to the con- 

 ducting power of the nerves, the available force is car- 

 ried away by the nerves of involuntary motion alone, 

 or by all the nerves together. 



Consequently, if, in consequence of a diseased trans- 

 formation of living tissues, a greater amount of force 

 be generated than is required for the production of the 

 normal motions, it is seen in an acceleration 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. 



