f volition, and complete
paralysis is formed. See Section XXXII. 3. 2.

Many of the paralytic patients, whom I have seen, have evidently had
diseased livers from the too frequent potation of spirituous liquors; some
of them have had the gutta rosea on their faces and breasts; which has in
some degree receded either spontaneously, or by the use of external
remedies, and the paralytic stroke has succeeded; and as in several
persons, who have drank much vinous spirits, I have observed epileptic fits
to commence at about forty or fifty years of age, without any hereditary
taint, from the stimulus, as I believed, of a diseased liver; I was induced
to ascribe many paralytic cases to the same source; which were not
evidently the effect of age, or of unacquired debility. And the account
given before of dropsies, which very frequently are owing to a paralysis of
the absorbent system, and are generally attendant on free drinkers of
spirituous liquors, confirmed me in this opinion.

The disagreeable irritation of a diseased liver produces exertions and
consequent quiescence; these by the accidental concurrence of other causes
of quiescence, as cold, solar or lunar periods, inanition, the want of
their usual portion of spirit of wine, at length produces paralysis.

This is further confirmed by observing, that the muscles, we most
frequently, or most powerfully exert, are most liable to palsy; as those of
the voice and of articulation, and of those paralytics which I have seen, a
much greater proportion have lost the use of their right arm; which is so
much more generally exerted than the left.

I cannot dismiss this subject without observing, that after a paralytic
stroke, if the vital powers are not much injured, that the patient has all
the movements of the affected limb to learn over again, just as in early
infancy; the limb is first moved by the irritation of its muscles, as in
stretching, (of which a case was related in Section VII. 1. 3.) or by the
electric concussion; afterwards it becomes obedient to sensation, as in
violent danger or fear; and lastly, the muscles become again associated
with volition, and gradually acquire their usual habits of acting together.

Another phaenomenon in palsies is, that when the limbs of one side are
disabled, those of the other are in perpetual motion. This can only be
explained from conceiving that the power of motion, whatever it is, or
wherever it resides, and which is capable of bein