Zoonomia Volume Ii Part 53

Thus if the heart and arteries are deprived of their due quant.i.ty of the stimulus of oxygene in the blood, a weak and quick pulse ensues, with an acc.u.mulation of the sensorial power of irritation; next follows an increase of the action of the capillaries by the superabundance of this acc.u.mulated power of irritation; but there also exists an acc.u.mulation of the power of a.s.sociation in these acting capillaries, which is not now excited by the deficient actions of the heart and arteries; but which by its abundance contributes to actuate the next link of a.s.sociation, which is the sick stomach in the case related from Sydenham in Cla.s.s IV. 1. 1. 2. and explained in this Supplement I. 4. And as this sick stomach was in a previous state of torpor, it might at the same time possess an acc.u.mulation of some sensorial power, which, if it was of a.s.sociation, would be thus more powerfully excited by the increased actions of the capillaries; which existed in consequence of the weak action of the heart and arteries. This also resembles in some respects the continued fevers with weak pulse, and with increased activity of the capillaries.

4. When a torpor of some irritative motions occurs from a previous exhaustion of the sensorial power of irritation by the action of some very great stimulus, it is long before any acc.u.mulation of the sensorial power of irritation is produced; as is experienced in the sickness and languor, which continues a whole day after a fit of drunkenness. But nevertheless there occurs an acc.u.mulation of the sensorial power of a.s.sociation in the first link of the a.s.sociate train of motions, which is catenated with these torpid irritative ones; which acc.u.mulation is owing to deficient excitement of that sensorial power in the first link of the a.s.sociate train. This first link therefore exists also in a less active or torpid state, but the acc.u.mulation of the sensorial power of a.s.sociation by its superabundance contributes to actuate the second link of the a.s.sociate train with unnatural quant.i.ty of motion; and that though its own natural quant.i.ty of the power of a.s.sociation is not excited by the deficient action of preceding fibrous motions.

When this happens to the stomach, as after its irritative motions have been much exerted from the unnatural stimulus of wine, or opium, or of contagious matter mixed with the saliva, a torpor or inactivity of it succeeds for a greater or less length of time; as no acc.u.mulation of the sensorial power of irritation can occur, till the natural quant.i.ty, which has been previously expended, is first restored. Then the heart and arteries which are next in catenation, become less active from the want of sufficient excitement of the sensorial power of a.s.sociation, which previously contributed to actuate them. This sensorial power of a.s.sociation therefore becomes acc.u.mulated, and by its superabundance contributes to actuate the link next in a.s.sociation, which has thus acquired so great a degree of a.s.sociability, as to overbalance the less quant.i.ty of the excitement of it by the torpid action of the previous or first a.s.sociate link. This happens to the capillaries, when the heart and arteries are affected as above by the torpor of the stomach, when it is occasioned by previous great expenditure of its sensorial power, and thus const.i.tutes fever with weak pulse, which is here termed inirritative fever, typhus mitior.

5. When a deficiency of stimulus is too great or too long continued, so as to impair the life of the part, no further acc.u.mulation of sensorial power occurs; as when the skin is long exposed to cold and damp air. In that case the link in catenation, that is, the first of the a.s.sociate train, is rendered torpid by defect of excitement of its usual quant.i.ty of the sensorial power of a.s.sociation, and from there being no acc.u.mulation of the sensorial power of irritation to increase its a.s.sociability, and thus to contribute to actuate it by overbalancing the defect of the excitement of its a.s.sociation.

Thus on riding long and slowly on a cold and damp day, the exhalation of the vapour, which is impinged on the skin, as the traveller proceeds, carries away his warmth faster, than it is generated within the system; and thus the capillaries of the skin have their actions so much impaired after a time, that no acc.u.mulation of the sensorial power of irritation occurs; and then the stomach, whose motions are catenated with those of the capillaries, ceases to act from the deficient excitement of the power of a.s.sociation; and indigestion and flatulency succeed, instead of the increased digestion and hunger, which occur, when the cutaneous capillaries are exposed to a less degree of cold, and for a shorter time. In which latter situation the acc.u.mulation of the sensorial power of irritation increases by its superabundance the a.s.sociability of the fibres of the stomach, so as to overbalance the defect of the excitement of their a.s.sociation.

6. The stomach is affected secondarily in fevers with strong pulse, as in those with weak pulse it is affected primarily. To ill.u.s.trate this doctrine I shall relate the following case of Mr. Y----. He was a young man rather intemperate in the use of wine or beer, and was seized with a cold fit, and with a consequent hot one with strong pulse; on examining his hypochondrium an oblong tumour was distinctly felt on the left side of the stomach, which extended six or eight inches downward, and was believed to be a tumour of the spleen, which thus occasioned by its torpor the cold fit and consequent hot fit of fever with strong pulse. This fever continued, though with remissions, for two or three weeks; and the patient repeatedly lost blood, used cathartics with calomel and sena, and had frequent antimonial and saline medicines. And after he was much weakened by evacuations, the peruvian bark and small doses of steel removed the fever, but the tumour remained many years during the remainder of his life.

In this case the tumour of the spleen was occasioned by the torpor of the absorbent vessels; while the secerning vessels continued somewhat longer to pour their fluids into the cells of it. Then the inactivity of this viscus affected the whole system with torpor by the deficient excitement of the sensorial power of a.s.sociation, which contributes along with the irritation caused by their specific stimuli to actuate the whole sanguiferous, secerning, and absorbent vessels; and along with these the stomach, which possesses perhaps greater mobility, or prompt.i.tude to torpor or to o.r.g.a.s.m, than any other part. And after a time all these parts recover their actions by the acc.u.mulation of their sensorial power of a.s.sociation. But the spleen not recovering its action from the acc.u.mulation of its power of irritation, as appeared from the continuance of the tumor, still affects the stomach by its defective irritative motions ceasing to excite the a.s.sociation, which ought to contribute to actuate it.

Hence the stomach continues torpid in respect to its motions, but acc.u.mulates its power of a.s.sociation; which is not excited into action by the defective motions of the spleen; this acc.u.mulation of the sensorial power of a.s.sociation now by its superabundance actuates the next link of a.s.sociate motions, which consists of the heart and arteries, into greater energy of action than natural, and thus causes fever with strong pulse; which, as it was supposed to be most frequently excited by increase of irritation, is called irritative fever or synocha.

Similar to this in the small pox, which is given by inoculation, the stomach is affected secondarily, when the fever commences; and hence in this small-pox the pulsations of the heart and arteries are frequently stronger than natural, but never weaker, for the reasons above given.

Whereas in that small-pox, which is caused by the stomach being primarily affected, by the contagious matter being swallowed with the saliva, whether the tonsils are at the same time affected or not, the pulsations of the heart and arteries become weak, and the inirritative fever is produced, as explained above, along with the confluent small-pox. This unfolds the cause of the mildness of the inoculated small-pox; because in this disease the stomach is affected secondarily, whereas in the natural small-pox it is frequently affected primarily by swallowing the contagious matter mixed with saliva.

In the measles I suppose the contagious matter to be dissolved in the air, and therefore not liable to be mixed with the saliva; whereas the variolous matter is probably only diffused in the air, and thence more readily mixed with the saliva in the mouth during respiration. This difference appears more probable, as the small-pox I believe is always taken at a less distance from the diseased person than is necessary to acquire the measles.

The contagion of the measles affects the membranes of the nostrils, and the secretion of tears in consequence, but never I suspect the stomach primarily, but always secondarily; whence the pulsation of the heart and arteries is always stronger than natural, so as to bear the lancet at any period of the disease.

The great mildness sometimes, and fatality at other times, of the scarlet fever may depend on the same circ.u.mstance; that is, on the stomach being primarily or secondarily affected by the contagious matter, observing that the tonsils may be affected at the same time with the stomach. Should this prove to be the case, which future observations must determine, what certain advantage must arise from the inoculation of this disease! When it is received by the skin primarily I suppose no sore throat attends it, nor fever with weak pulse; when it is received by the stomach primarily, the tonsils are affected at the same time, and the torpor of the stomach produces inirritative fever, and the mortification of the tonsils succeeds.

We may hence conclude, that when the torpor of the stomach is either owing to defect of stimulus, which is not so great as to impair the life of the part, as in moderate hunger, or in swallowing iced water, or when its torpor is induced by its catenation or a.s.sociation with other torpid parts, as in the commencement of intermittent fevers, and inoculated small-pox, that the subsequent action of the heart and arteries is generally increased, producing irritative fever. Which is owing to the acc.u.mulation, of the sensorial power of irritation in one case, and of a.s.sociation in the other, contributing to actuate the next link of the catenated or a.s.sociated motions. But when the torpor of the stomach is induced by previous exhaustion of its sensorial powers of irritation or of a.s.sociation by continued violent action, as by the stimulus of digitalis, or of contagious matter, or after intoxication from wine or opium, a weaker action of the heart and arteries succeeds, because there is no acc.u.mulation of sensorial power, and a deficient excitement of a.s.sociation. And finally, as this weak action of the heart and arteries is not induced by exhaustion of sensorial power, but by defect of the excitement of a.s.sociation, the acc.u.mulation of this power of a.s.sociation increases the action of the capillaries, and thus induces inirritative fever.

7. When any part of the system acts very violently in fevers, the sensorial power of sensation is excited, which increases the actions of the moving system; whereas the pain, which arises from decreased irritative motions, as in hemicrania, seems to exhaust a quant.i.ty of sensorial power, without producing or increasing any fibrous actions.

When the stomach is primarily affected, as in inirritative fevers from contagion, and in such a manner as to occasion pain, the action of the capillaries seems to be increased by this additional sensorial power of sensation, whence extensive inflammation or mortification; but when the stomach and consequently the heart and arteries continue their torpidity of action; as in confluent small-pox, and fatal scarlatina; this const.i.tutes sensitive inirritative fever, or typhus gravior.

But when the stomach is secondarily affected, if the sensorial power of sensation is excited, as in pleurisy or peripneumony, the actions of the heart and arteries are violently increased, and of all the moving system along with them. Thus the peripneumony is generally induced by the patient respiring very cold air, and this especially after being long confined to warm air, or after being much fatigued and heated by excessive labour or exercise. For we can cover the skin with more clothes, when we feel ourselves cold; but the lungs not having the perception of cold, we do not think of covering them, nor have the power to cover them, if we desired it; and the torpor, thus produced is greater, or of longer duration, in proportion to the previous expenditure of sensorial power by heat or exercise.

This torpor of the lungs affects the skin with shuddering, and the stomach is also secondarily affected; next follows the violent action of the lungs from the acc.u.mulation of the power of irritation, and an inflammation of them follows this violent action. While the stomach recovers its activity by the increase of the excitement of the sensorial power of a.s.sociation, and along with it the heart and arteries, and the whole moving system.

Hence this inflammation occurs during the hot fit of fever, and no cold fit succeeds, because the excess of the sensorial power of sensation prevents a succeeding torpor.

These new motions of certain parts of the system produce increased secretions of nutritious or organic mucus, which forms new vessels; these new vessels by their unusual motions produce new kinds of fluids; which are termed contagious, because they have the power, when introduced into a healthy body, of producing similar actions and effects, with or without fever, as in the small-pox and measles, or in the itch and venereal disease.

If any of these contagious matters affect the stomach with torpor either by their stimulus immediately applied, or by its sympathy with the parts first diseased, a fever is produced with sickness and want of appet.i.te; as in small-pox, and scarlatina. If the stomach is not affected by contagious matter, no fever succeeds, as in itch, tinea, syphilis.

All these contagious matters are conceived to be harmless, till they have been exposed to the air, either openly or through a moist membrane; from which they are believed to acquire oxygene, and thence to become some kinds of animal acids. As the preparations of mercury cure venereal ulcers; as a quarter of a grain of sublimate dissolved in wine, and given thrice a day; this effect, seems to be produced either by its stimulating the absorbents in the ulcer to absorb the venereal matter before it has acquired oxygene; or by afterwards uniting with it chemically, and again depriving it of its acquired acidity. On either supposition it might probably be given with advantage in small-pox, and in all infectious diseases, both previous to their commencement, and during their whole progress.

8. The cold fits of intermittent fevers are caused by the torpor of some part owing to deficient irritation, and of the other parts of the system from deficient a.s.sociation. The hot fits are owing first to the acc.u.mulation of irritation in the part primarily affected, if it recovers its action, which does not always happen; and secondly to the acc.u.mulation of a.s.sociation in the other parts of the system, which during health are subject to perpetual action; and lastly also to the greater excitement of the power of a.s.sociation, when the part primarily affected recovers its irritability, and acts with greater energy than natural.

The deficient secretions in the cold fit depend on the torpor of the glandular system; and the increased secretions in the hot fit on their more energetic action. The thirst in the cold fit is owing to the deficient absorption from the skin, cellular membrane, and bladder; the thirst in the hot fit is owing to the too great dissipation of the aqueous part of the blood. The urine is pale and in small quant.i.ty in the cold fit from deficient secretion of it, and from deficient absorption of its aqueous parts; it is high coloured, and sometimes deposits a sediment, in the hot fit from the greater secretion of it in the kidneys, and the greater absorption of its aqueous and saline part in the bladder. The dryness and scurf on the tongue and nostrils is owing to the increased heat of the air expired from the lungs, and consequent greater evaporation of the aqueous part of the mucus. The sweats appear in consequence of the declension of the hot fit, owing to the absorbent vessels of the skin losing their increased action sooner than the secerning ones; and to the evaporation lessening as the skin becomes cooler. The returns of the paroxysms are princ.i.p.ally owing to the torpor of some less essential part of the system remaining after the termination of the last fit; and are also dependent on solar or lunar diurnal periods.

The torpor of the part, which induces the cold paroxysm, is owing to deficient irritation occasioned either by the subduction of the natural stimuli of food, or water, or pure air, or by deficiency of external influences, as of heat, or of solar or lunar gravitation. Or secondly, in consequence of the exhaustion of sensorial power by great previous exertions of some parts of the system, as of the limbs by great labour or exercise, or of the stomach by great stimulus, as by contagious matter swallowed with the saliva, or by much wine or opium previously taken into it. Or lastly a torpor of a part may be occasioned by some mechanic injury, as by a compression of the nerves of the part, or of their origin in the brain; as the sitting long with one leg crossed over the other occasions numbness, and as a torpor of the stomach, with vomiting frequently precedes paralytic strokes of the limbs.

As sleep is produced, either by defect of stimulus, or by previous exhaustion of sensorial power; so the acc.u.mulation of the sensorial power of volition in those muscles and organs of sense, which are generally obedient to it, awakens the sleeping person; when it has increased the quant.i.ty of voluntarity so much as to overbalance the defect of stimulus in one case, and the exhaustion of sensorial power in the other; which latter requires a much longer time of sleep than the former. So the cold paroxysm of fever is produced either by defect of stimulus, or by previous exhaustion of the sensorial power of some part of the system; and the acc.u.mulation of the sensorial power of irritation in that part renews the action of it, when it has increased its irritability so much as to overbalance the defect of stimulus in one case and the exhaustion of sensorial power in the other; which latter requires a much longer torpor or cold fit than the former.

But in the cold paroxysm of fever besides the torpor of one part of the system from defect of irritation, the remainder of it becomes torpid owing to defect of excitement of the sensorial power of a.s.sociation by the lessened action of the part first affected. This torpor of the general system remains, till the acc.u.mulation of the sensorial power of a.s.sociation has increased the a.s.sociability so much as to overbalance the defect of the excitement of a.s.sociation; then the torpor ceases, and if the first affected part has recovered its activity the other parts are all thrown into excess of action by their increased a.s.sociability, and the hot fit of fever is produced.

9. In the continued fevers with strong pulse the stomach is affected secondarily, and thus acts feebly from deficient excitement of the power of a.s.sociation; but the acc.u.mulation of the power of a.s.sociation thus produced in an organ subject to perpetual and energetic action, is so great as to affect the next link of the a.s.sociate train, which consists of the heart and arteries; these therefore are exerted perpetually with increase of action.

In continued fevers with weak pulse the torpid stomach is affected primarily by previous exhaustion of its irritability by stimulus, as of contagious matter swallowed into it. The heart and arteries act feebly from deficient excitement of the power of a.s.sociation, owing to the torpor of the stomach, with which they are catenated; but the acc.u.mulation of the power of a.s.sociation, thus produced in organs subject to perpetual and energetic motion, is so great, as to affect the next link of the a.s.sociate train; which consists of the capillaries of the skin or other glands; these therefore are exerted perpetually with great increase of action.

The continued fevers with strong pulse terminate by the reduction or exhaustion of the sensorial power by violent action of the whole system; which is followed either by return of health with the natural quant.i.ty of irritability, and of a.s.sociability, or by a total destruction of them both, and consequent death.

In continued fevers with weak pulse the stomach remains torpid during the whole course of the fever; and at length by the recovery of its irritability and sensibility effects the cure of it. Which generally happens about the first, second, or third quarter of the lunar period, counted from the commencement of the disease, or continues a whole lunation, and sometimes more; which gave rise to what are termed critical days. See Sect. x.x.xVI. 4. on this subject. If the stomach does not recover from its torpor, the patient becomes emaciated, and dies exhausted by the continuance of the increased action of the capillaries and absorbents, and the want of nourishment.

The cure of continued fever with weak pulse consists first in weakening the undue action of the capillaries of the skin by ablution with cold water from 32 to 80 degrees of heat; or by exposing them to cool air. Secondly by invigorating the actions of the stomach, by decreasing them for a time, and thence acc.u.mulating the power of irritation, as by an emetic, or by iced water, or iced wine. Or by increase of stimulus, as by bark, wine, opium, and food, in small quant.i.ties frequently repeated. Or by renewing the action of the stomach by slight electric shocks. Or by fomenting it frequently with water heated to 96 or 100 degrees. Or lastly by exciting its power of a.s.sociation with other parts of the system, as by a blister; which succeeds best when the extremities are cool; or by swinging, as in vertigo rotatoria.

If by the stimulus of the Peruvian bark on the fibres of the stomach, they regain their due action, the heart and arteries also regain their due action; as their sensorial power of a.s.sociation is now excited, and expended as usual. And as there is then no acc.u.mulation of sensorial power in the heart and arteries, the capillaries cease to act with too great energy, and the fever is cured.

Thirdly. If the heart and arteries could be themselves stimulated into greater action, although the stomach remained torpid, they might probably by expending a greater quant.i.ty of the sensorial power of irritation, prevent an acc.u.mulation of the sensorial power of a.s.sociation, (for these may possibly be only different modes of action of the spirit of animation,) and thus the too great action of the capillaries might be prevented and the fever cease. This new mode of cure might possibly be accomplished, if the patient was to breathe a gallon or two of pure or diluted oxygene gas frequently in a day; which by pa.s.sing through the moist membranes of the lungs and uniting with the blood might render it more stimulant, and thus excite the heart and arteries into greater action.

Fourthly. Greater energy might probably be given to the whole system, and particularly to those parts which act too feebly in fevers, as the stomach and the heart and arteries, if the action of the secerning vessels of the brain could be increased in energy; this is probably one effect of all those drugs, which when given in large quant.i.ty induce intoxication, as wine and opium. And when given with great caution in small quant.i.ties uniformly repeated, as from three drops to five of the tincture of opium, but not more, every six hours, I believe they supply an efficacious medicine in fevers with great arterial debility; and the more so, if the Peruvian bark be exhibited alternately every six hours along with them.

There are other means of exciting the vessels of the brain into action; as first by decreasing the stimulus of heat by temporary cold fomentation; secondly, increasing the stimulus of heat by long continued warm fomentation; thirdly, by electricity, as very small shocks pa.s.sed through it in all directions; and lastly by blisters on the head. All those require to be used with great caution, and especially where there exists an evident stupor, as the removing of that is I believe frequently injurious. See stupor, Cla.s.s I. 2. 5. 10.

The cure of fever with strong pulse consists in the repeated use of venesection, gentle cathartics, diluents; medicines producing sickness, as antimonials, digitalis; or the respiration of carbonated hydrogen; or by respiration of atmospheric air lowered by a mixture of hydrogen, azote, or carbonic acid gas, or by compressing the brain by whirling in a dec.u.mbent posture, as if lying across an horizontal mill-stone. See the former parts of this supplement for the methods of cure both of fevers with strong and weak pulse.

10. When any difficulty occurs in determining the weak pulse from the strong one, it may generally be a.s.sisted by counting its frequency. For when an adult patient lies horizontally in a cool room, and is not hurried or alarmed by the approach of his physician, nor stimulated by wine or opium, the strong pulse seldom exceeds 118 or 120 in a minute; and the weak pulse is generally not much below 130, and often much above that number.

Secondly in sitting up in bed, or changing the horizontal to a perpendicular posture, the quickness of the weak pulse is liable immediately to increase 10 or 20 pulsations in a minute, which does not I believe occur in the strong pulse, when the patient has rested himself after the exertion of rising.

XVII. _Conclusion._

Thus have I given an outline of what may be termed the sympathetic theory of fevers, to distinguish it from the mechanic theory of Boerhaave, the spasmodic theory of Hoffman and of Cullen, and the putrid theory of Pringle. What I have thus delivered, I beg to be considered rather as observations and conjectures, than as things explained and demonstrated; to be considered as a foundation and a scaffolding, which may enable future industry to erect a solid and a beautiful edifice, eminent both for its simplicity and utility, as well as for the permanency of its materials,--which may not moulder, like the structures already erected, into the sand of which they were composed; but which may stand unimpaired, like the Newtonian philosophy, a rock amid the waste of ages!

ADDITIONS.

ADDITION I.

At the end of the article Canities, in Cla.s.s I. 2. 2. 11. please to add the following:

As mechanical injury from a percussion, or a wound, or a caustic, is liable to occasion the hair of the part to become grey; so I suspect the compression of parts against each other of some animals in the womb is liable to render the hair of those parts of a lighter colour; as seems often to occur in black cats and dogs. A small terrier b.i.t.c.h now stands by me, which is black on all those parts, which were external, when she was wrapped up in the uterus, teres atque rotunda; and those parts white, which were most constantly pressed together; and those parts tawny, which were generally but less constantly pressed together. Thus the hair of the back from the forehead to the end of the tail is black, as well as that of the sides, and external parts of the legs, both before and behind.

As in the uterus the chin of the whelp is bent down, and lies in contact with the fore part of the neck and breast; the tail is applied close against the division of the thighs behind; the inside of the hinder thighs are pressed close to the sides of the belly, all these parts have white hairs.

The fore-legs in the uterus lie on each side of the face; so that the feet cover part of the temples, and compress the prominent part of the upper eye-brows, but are so placed as to defend the eye-b.a.l.l.s from pressure; it is curious to observe, that the hair of the sides of the face, and of the prominent upper eye-brows, are tawny, and of the inside of the feet and legs, which covered them; for as this posture admitted of more change in the latter weeks of gestation, the colour of these parts is not so far removed from black, as of those parts, where the contact or compression was more uniform.

Where this uterine compression of parts has not been so great as to render the hair white in other animals, it frequently happens, that the extremities of the body are white, as the feet, and noses, and tips of the ears of dogs and cats and horses, where the circulation is naturally weaker; whence it would seem, that the capillary glands, which form the hair, are impeded in the first instance by compression, and in the last by the debility of the circulation in them. See Cla.s.s I. 1. 2. 15.

This day, August 8th, 1794, I have seen a negro, who was born (as he reports) of black parents, both father and mother, at Kingston in Jamaica, who has many large white blotches on the skin of his limbs and body; which I thought felt not so soft to the finger, as the black parts. He has a white divergent blaze from the summit of his nose to the vertex of his head; the upper part of which, where it extends on the hairy scalp, has thick curled hair, like the other part of his head, but quite white. By these marks I supposed him to be the same black, who is described, when only two years old, in the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. II. page 292, where a female one is likewise described with nearly similar marks.

The joining of the frontal bones, and the bregma, having been later than that of the other sutures of the cranium, probably gave cause to the whiteness of the hair on these parts by delaying or impeding its growth.