Zoonomia Volume Ii Part 16

GENUS VII.

_With increased Action of the Organs of Sense._

SPECIES.

1. _Delirium febrile._ Delirium of fevers.

2. ---- _maniacale._ ---- maniacal.

3. ---- _ebrietatis._ ---- of drunkenness.

4. _Somnium._ Dreams.

5. _Hallucinatio visus._ Deception of sight.

6. ---- _auditus._ ---- of hearing.

7. _Rubor a calore._ Blush from heat.

8. ---- _jucunditatis._ ---- from joy.

9. _Priapismus amatorius._ Amorous priapism.

10. _Distentio mamularum._ Distention of the nipples.

ORDO II.

_Decreased Sensation._

GENUS I.

_With decreased Action of the general System._

SPECIES.

1. _Stult.i.tia insensibilis._ Folly from insensibility.

2. _Taedium vitae._ Irksomeness of life.

3. _Paresis sensitiva._ Sensitive debility.

GENUS II.

_With decreased Actions of particular Organs._

SPECIES.

1. _Anorexia._ Want of appet.i.te.

2. _Adipsia._ Want of thirst.

3. _Impotentia._ Impotence.

4. _Sterilitas._ Barrenness.

5. _Insensibilitas artuum._ Insensibility of the limbs.

6. _Dysuria insensitiva._ Insensibility of the bladder.

7. _Acc.u.mulatio alvina._ Acc.u.mulation of feces.

ORDO III.

_Retrograde Sensitive Motions._

GENUS I.

_Of Excretory Ducts._

SPECIES.

_Motus retrogressus_ Retrograde motion.

1. ---- _ureterum._ ---- of the ureters.

2. ---- _urethrae._ ---- of the urethra.

3. ---- _ductus choledoci._ ---- of the bile-duct.

CLa.s.s II.

DISEASES OF SENSATION.

ORDO I.

_Increased Sensation._

GENUS I.

_With Increased Action of the Muscles._

The actions belonging to this genus are those which are immediately excited by the sensations of pain or pleasure, but which are neither followed by inflammation, nor by convulsion. The former of which belong to the subsequent genera of this order, and the latter to the cla.s.s of voluntary motions.

The criterion between the actions, which are the immediate consequence of painful sensation, and convulsive actions properly so called, consists in the former having a tendency to dislodge the stimulating cause, which induces the painful sensation; and the latter being exerted for the purpose of expending the sensorial power, and thus dulling or destroying the general sensation of the system. See Cla.s.s III. 1.

There is a degree of heat produced in the affected part by these sensitive actions without inflammation, but in much less quant.i.ty than when attended by inflammation; as in the latter there is a production of new vessels. See Sect. x.x.xIII. 2. 3.

Some of the species of this genus cannot properly be termed diseases in their natural state, but become so by their defect or excess, and are here inserted to facilitate the explanation of the others.

SPECIES.

1. _Deglut.i.tio._ Swallowing our food is immediately caused by the pleasureable sensation occasioned by its stimulus on the palate or fauces and is acquired long before the nativity of the animal. Afterwards the pain of hunger previously produces the various voluntary exertions to procure the proper material, but the actions of masticating and of swallowing it are effected by the sensorial power of sensation; which appears by their not being always controulable by the will, as when children in vain attempt to swallow nauseous drugs. See Cla.s.s IV. 1. 3. 1. The masticated food stimulates the palate, which is an organ of sense, into so much action, as to produce agreeable sensation; and the muscles subservient to deglut.i.tion are brought into action by the sensation thus produced. The pleasureable sensation is the proximate cause; the action of the fibres of the extremities of the nerves of taste is the remote cause; the sensorial power of irritation exciting these fibres of the nerves of taste into increased action is the pre-remote cause; the action of the muscles of deglut.i.tion is the proximate effect; the pus.h.i.+ng the food into the stomach is the remote effect; and the nutrition of the body is the post-remote effect.

Though the muscles subservient to deglut.i.tion have their actions previously a.s.sociated, so as to be excited into synchronous tribes or successive trains, either by volition, as when we swallow a disagreeable drug; or by sensation, as when we swallow agreeable food; or by irritation, as when we inattentively swallow our saliva; yet do all those three kinds of deglut.i.tion belong to the respective cla.s.ses of volition, sensation, and irritation; because the first links of these tribes or trains of muscular action are excited by those sensorial powers, and the a.s.sociated links, which accompany or succeed them, are excited by the combined powers either of volition, or of sensation, or of irritation, along with that of a.s.sociation.

2. _Respiratio._ Respiration is immediately caused by the sensorial power of sensation in consequence of the baneful want of vital air; and not from the acc.u.mulation of blood in the lungs, as that might be carried on by inhaling azote alone, without the oxygenous part of the atmosphere. The action of respiration is thus similar to that of swallowing our food to appease the pain of hunger; but the lungs being surrounded with air, their proper pabulum, no intermediate voluntary exertions are required, as in hunger, to obtain and prepare the wanted material.

Respiration is similar to slow combustion; the oxygenous part of the atmosphere is received through the moist membranes, which line the air-cells of the lungs, and uniting with the inflammable part of the blood generates an acid, probably the phosphoric acid; a portion of carbonic acid is likewise produced in this process; as appears by repeatedly breathing over lime-water, which then becomes turbid. See Botanic Garden, P. I. Canto I. l. 401. note.

3. _Sternutatio._ Sneezing consists of muscular actions produced by the sensorial faculty of sensation; and is an effort to dislodge, by means of air forcibly impelled through the nostrils, some material; which stimulates the membrane, which lines them, into too great action, and might thence injure the sense of smell which is diffused on it.

In this operation the too great action of the vessels of the membrane of the nostrils is the remote cause; the sensation thence induced is the proximate cause; and the muscular actions are the proximate effect.

This action of sneezing frequently precedes common respiration in new-born children, but I believe not always; as like the latter it cannot have been previously acquired in the uterus.

It is produced in some people by sudden light, as by looking up at the sky in a morning, when they come out of a gloomy bed-chamber. It then becomes an a.s.sociate action, and belongs to Cla.s.s IV. 1. 2. 2.