[ 2° ] 
a principle, when properly dire&ed to the difeafed 
parts, fhould have important effeCfs, no one can 
doubt who has been in the Ieaft converfant with it. 
Though at the fame time I confefs, well apprifed of 
the falutary effects of warm weather in reftoring a 
more perfect motion to torpid limbs, that had the 
eledrifing been begun in March, and continued to 
the end of May, though attended with the fame fuc- 
cefs as in the prefent inftance, I could not have fup- 
preffed my doubts of the warm weather greatly con- 
tributing thersto. But as this was done during the 
depth of winter, and that a feverely cold one, no fcru- 
ples, in my mind at lead, can arife upon this head. 
I take the liberty however to lay the whole evidence 
before you, that every one may make from it fuch 
deductions as he thinks proper. 
Perhaps indeed fome may be of opinion, that even 
the cold weather contributed to cure this diforder. 
But it is well known, that warmth relaxes the ani- 
mal fibres, and that cold conffi pates and braces them. 
In the cafe before us, the mufcles, compofed of mi- 
nute fibres, were as rigid and tenfe as they well 
could be, even in a difeafed and obftruCted ftate. If 
cold therefore contributed any thing, it was to make 
this cafe worfe. And this is conformable to the opi- 
nion of Aretaeus *, who, among the caufes of the 
difeafe, reckons intenfe cold ; and fays, “ that for 
<£ this reafon the winter of all the feafons is moftpro- 
“ duClive of this difeafe.” He fubjoins, “ thatwomen 
tc are more fujeCt thereto than men, on account of 
“ the coldnefs of their conftitution.” Celfus -f* like— 
* Aretaeus, Lib. I. Cap. vi. 
| Celfus, Lib. II. Cap. i. Frigus modo nervorum diftcntioncm, 
mcdorigoreminfert: illud5'?r«<r(uoi-, hccTmxyo? Graecenominafur. 
wife 
