f sickness; yet after long abstinence from food, at length
not only the exhausted quantity of sensorial power is renewed, but an
accumulation of it at length occurs, and hunger returns. In this situation
the stomach is generally about a whole day before it regains its usual
powers of digestion; but if it has been still more violently stimulated,
and its actions further impaired, a still more permanent torpor along with
a continued fever with weak pulse is liable to occur; and a fourth part, or
a half, or three fourths, or a whole lunar period passes, before it
recovers its due irritability and consequent action.

In similar manner, after a person has been confined in a very warm room for
some hours, the cutaneous capillaries, with their secretory and absorbent
vessels, become exhausted of their sensorial power of irritation by the too
great violent exertions occasioned by the unusual stimulus of heat; and in
coming into a colder atmosphere an inactivity of the cutaneous vessels
exists at first for some time without accumulation of sensorial power; as
is shewn by the continuance of the pain of cold and the paleness; but after
a time both the pain of cold and paleness vanish, which now indicates an
accumulation of the sensorial power of irritation, as less degrees of heat
stimulate the system into due action.

In the same manner, after any one has been some time in the summer
sunshine, on coming into a dark cell he continues much longer before he can
clearly distinguish objects, than if his eyes had only been previously
exposed to the light of a cloudy day in winter; because the sensorial power
of irritation, and consequent sensation, had in the first case been
previously much expended or exhausted; and therefore required a much longer
time before it could be produced in the brain, or derived to the optic
nerves, in such quantity as to restore the deficiency, and to cause an
accumulation of it; whereas in the latter case no deficiency had occurred.

10. Thus the accumulation or deficiency of sensorial power in a torpid
organ, which had previously been accustomed to perpetual action, depends on
the manner in which it becomes torpid; that is, whether by great previous
stimulus, or great previous excitement of the power of association; or by
defect of its accustomed stimulus, or of its accustomed excitement of the
power of association. In the former case the sensorial power is in an
exhausted state, and therefore is not like