Ch.VII. south AMERICA. 91 



the head and thefe nerves being the channels 

 which convey nourifhment to the body, and this 

 nouriHiment being precluded by the conftridion of 

 irs conduits, they all fuccefliveiy fuffer the mul^ 

 fles, by having loft their adivity, cannot aOifh in 

 the motion of the nerves, and thefe being conftring- 

 ed,' can no longer perform their office. Add to this, 

 a pungent humour difpernng itfelf through all the 

 memhraiJ^ of the body, and caufmg infupportable 

 pains ; fo that the groaning patient labours under 

 inconceivable tortures, which are ftill increafed on 

 his being m.oved, though with the greateft care and 

 gentlenefs, fron^ one fide to the other. The throat 

 is fo contradced that nothing can be conveyed into 

 the ftomach. The jaws are alfo fometimes fo clofely 

 locked, as impoffible to be opened. Thus the mi- 

 ferable patient lies without motion, and tortured in 

 every part of his body, till nature quite exhaufted 

 falls a vi(5tim to this deleterious diftemper. 



In the partial kind, the pulfe is no more affefted 

 than in the diftemper which preceded it, and com- 

 monly abates the violence of a fever. But in the 

 malignant kind it augments, the circulations being 

 quickened ; and v^hether it be the effe6l of the humour 

 impetuoufly circulating through every part, or of the 

 pain proceeding from the laceration of the membranes, 

 iand abrading the mufcles, the patient falls into a le- 

 thargy, but Vv^hich does not remove the torturing fen- 

 fation of thefe pundures, often fo infupportable, that 

 thjs miferable patient violently turns liimfelf, and thus 

 augments his agonies, as evidently appears from his 

 piercing cries and groans. 



The m.alignant or arched fpafm, even in the firft 

 ftage is lb violent, as to caufe a contraction of the 

 nerves of the vertebrae from the brain downwards ; 

 and as the didemper increafes, and the malignant 

 humour acquires greac aelivity, the nerves become 

 more and moi-e eonftrided, that the body of the 



patient. 



