170 
of mental and mufcular vigeur, buty at 
the fame time, betrayed, in the nervous 
part of its organization, ‘an exceffive and 
morbid fufceptibility. As countera€ling 
agents to this difeafedpropenfity, were pre- 
feyibed, in addition to fome fimple compe- 
fitions of the Pharmacopeia, the difufe of 
fuch narcotics as tea and coffee;early rifing, 
diurnal exercifé carried even to fatigue, 
and the ule of the cold bath two or three 
times a week, until the relaxed condi‘ion 
ef his fibre was corrected ard refiored ta 
the tone of a due and hialthy excite- 
ment. - 
An important difference cught to be re- 
rirked between /eu/ibility and irritadility. 
The former is to be mcaiured by the per- 
manence and power of fenfation, the 
Hatter by the fuddennefs and facility with 
which fenfation is excited. When it is 
exicted to any great degree by trifting or 
imaginary cautes, it implies the exiffeace 
of phyfical diforder, although the powers 
of the fyftem in other reipects remai 
healthy and unimpaired. | 
It is a flaw in one of the ramifica- 
tions of a theory,* which is radically 
vight, that it confiders the excitabi- 
ity as one and indivifible in the whole 
frame, when, in fact, we find, that this 
power is at fometimes difproportionately 
great in the zervous, at others in the 
saufeular, and at others in the vafcular 
part of our conftitution. 
We have an example of the fir in men 
of fentiment and intellect; of the fecond in 
thofe who are more capable of, and de. 
voted to corporeal efforts and exertions ; 
and the laft is exhibited in the inftance of 
perfons who are diftinguifhed by the 
extraordinary ardour of their animal and 
fenfual affeétions. : 
Such differences in individuals often 
take their rife from hereditary ftamina, 
but fometimes they appear to’ be in a 
great meafure produced, and are always 
magnified or diminifhed, by habits atd 
external influences. 
A porter has a fironger back than other 
en, becaufe he is more than other men 
accuftomed to make ufe of it. The men- 
tal laboarer, fcr the fame reafon, if he 
were not born with it, will be likely to_ 
acquire a more than ordinary degree of 
* The Theory of Brown. 
Repori of Difeafes. 
i March. I, 
intelleé&tual energy and power. In like 
mapner, the man of licentious indulgence, 
by giving aloofe to the gratification of his 
voluptuous propenfities, will not fail to 
make more prominent and decided the 
oliginal features of both his moral and 
phy fical character, = 
The {pecies of reading which is now 
in vogue, has a mof important influence 
upon the Seaith as well as upon the tate 
and merality of the rifing generation, 
That fickly fenfibility of mind and body 
which the fathionable produétions of the 
modern prefs are calculated to create, is 
iil exchanged even for the torpor of ig- 
norance, or the inaétivity of neglected 
cultivation. if, beat 
Typhus, it has frequently been obferved 
by the writer of this article, has. very 
rarely appeared during the laf. two or 
three years. One inftance, however, has 
recently occurred, an which the difeafe, 
although the Reporter. was called in at a 
very advanced period. of it, was, by-ab- 
lution, ard the inftantaneous application of 
appropriate and efficient ftimuli,: prevented 
trom finking into that laf. and hopelefs 
fiage, the fymptoms and charaéteriftics of 
which Huxham, in the following words, 
fo fai htully and pathetically deicribes : 
‘Now nature finks apace. The ex. 
tremilies grow cold, the nails pail or livid ; 
the pulfe may be faid to tremble and 
flutter rather than.to beat, the vibrations 
being fo weak and quick that. they can. 
fcarce be diftinguithed, though fometimes 
they creep on furprizingly flow, and very. - 
frequently intermit. The fick become 
quite infenfible and ftupid, fcarce affeéted 
wih the loudeft neife, or ftrongeft light, 
though at the beginning ftrangely fulcep. 
tive of the impreffions of either. The 
delirium now ends ia a profewnd coma, 
and that foon in an eternal fleep. The 
ftocls, urine, and tears run of involunta-- 
rily, and denounce a fpeedy diffolution ; 
as the vaft tremblings and twitchings of 
the tendons and nerves are preludes to a 
general convulfion, which at 
t once {naps 
off the thread of life.*” 
J. Rerp. 
Grenville fireet, Brunfwick-/quare, 
February 18, 18055. 
* Houxath’s Effay on Fevers. 
he 
ors 
