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nothing elfe but the matter of the gout or rheumatifm 
fixing on this fource of the nerves. Now this gene- 
ral attack, which fwells and diftends the dura mater 
throughout this whole bafis, makes the blood Mag- 
nate in the veflels, fome of the weakeft of which 
burft, and at the fame time clofes all the canals of 
the nerves, and confequently kills the patient. Un- 
lefs a perfon would chufe to fay, that vhofe broken 
canals were thofe, which concurred in the fubflance 
of the brain to the formation of the fpirits, that give 
motion to the heart : which opinion is not free from 
difficulties ; fince it is well known, that this organ re- 
cieves the influences of feveral nerves at a time, all 
which ought to bear their part in this accident, 
which, after all, is but the rupture of a Ample ca- 
pillary veflel. 
The drift of thefe refle&ions is to engage prac- 
titioners to have fome what lefs confidence in their 
theories, and, for example, not to make a poor apo- 
plectic patient die under the lancet ; a thing, which I 
have feen feveral times, from the notion which they 
hold, that it is the over-great quantity of blood, that 
kills : for, befides that this falfe opinion is fatal to this 
patient in particular, it will Aill be fo to all future apo- 
plectics, if the prejudice in favour of this theory be 
luch as to prevent feeking the true caufes, and the 
real remedies of the apoplexy. 
XLI, 
