of these the capillaries seem first to
acquire a renovation of their action, as the heat of the skin becomes first
renewed, as well as increased beyond its natural quantity, and this in some
parts sooner than in others; which quantity of heat is however not to be
estimated simply by the rise of the mercury in the thermometer, but also by
the quantity carried away into the atmosphere, or diffused amongst other
bodies in a given time; as more heat passes through water, which boils
vehemently, than when it boils gently, though the rise of the thermometer
in both cases continues the same. This fact may be known by boiling an egg
in water, the white of which coagulates in much less time, if the water
boils vehemently, than if it boils moderately, though the sensible heat of
the water is the same in both cases.

Another cause, which induces the cutaneous capillaries to renew their
actions sooner than the heart and arteries after immersion in the cold
bath, is, that their torpor was occasioned by defect of irritation; whereas
that of the heart and arteries was occasioned by defect of association;
which defect of association was owing to the decreased actions of the
capillaries, and is now again excited by their renewed action; which
excitement must therefore be subsequent to that increased action of the
capillaries; and in consequence the increased action of the heart and
arteries at the commencement of the hot fit of some fevers is subsequent to
the increased action of the cutaneous capillaries. There is, however, in
this case an accumulation of the sensorial power of association in the
heart and arteries, which must contribute to increase their orgasm in the
hot fit, as well as the increased excitement of it by the increased action
of the capillaries.

4. Now this increased action of the system, during the hot fit, by
exhausting the sensorial powers of irritation and association, contributes
to induce a renewal of the cold paroxysm; as the accumulation of those
sensorial powers in the cold fit produces the increased actions of the hot
fit; which two states of the system reciprocally induce each other by a
kind of libration, or a plus and minus, of the sensorial powers of
irritation and association.

If the exhaustion of sensorial power during the hot fit of fever only
reduces the quantity of irritability and associability to its natural
standard, the fever is cured, not being liable to return. If the quantity
of these sen