cutaneous absorbents act with greater energy, and the pulsations of the
heart and arteries become weaker, and sometimes slower.

2. The increased action of the stomach after a meal, and of the heart and
arteries at the same time from the stimulus of the new supply of chyle,
seems originally to have produced, and to have established, this direct
sympathy between them. As the increased action of the absorbents of the
stomach after a meal has been usually attended with diminished action of
the other branches of the absorbent system, as mentioned in Class IV. 1. 1.
6. and has thus established a reverse sympathy between them.

2. Besides the reverse sympathy of the absorbent vessels and the muscles of
the stomach, and of the heart and arteries, with those of the skin, lungs,
and cellular membrane; there exists a similar reverse sympathy between the
secerning vessels or glands of the former of these organs with those of the
latter; that is the mucous glands of the heart and arteries act generally
by direct sympathy with those of the stomach; and the mucous glands of the
cellular membrane of the lungs, and of the skin, act by reverse sympathy
with them both.

Hence when the stomach is torpid, as in sickness, this torpor sometimes
only affects the absorbent vessels of it; and then the absorbents of the
cellular membrane and the skin only act with increased energy by reverse
sympathy. If the torpor affects the muscular fibres of the stomach, those
of the heart and arteries act by direct sympathy with it, and a weak pulse
is produced, as in the exhibition of digitalis, but without increase of
heat. But if the torpor also affects the glands of the stomach, the
cutaneous and pulmonary glands act with greater energy by their reverse
sympathy with those of the stomach, and of the heart and arteries; and
great heat is produced along with increased perspiration both from the skin
and lungs.

3. There is some difficulty in explaining, why the actions of the extensive
system of capillary glands, which exist on every other membrane and cell in
the body for the purpose of secreting mucus and perspirable matter, should
so generally act by reverse sympathy with those of the stomach and upper
part of the intestines. It was shewn in Class IV. 1. 1. 6. that when the
stomach was filled with solid and fluid aliment, the absorbents of the
cellular membrane, and of the bladder, and of the skin acted with less
energy; as the fluids they were use