fever._

1. When the actions of any part of the system of capillaries are excited to
a certain degree, sensation is produced, along with a greater quantity of
heat, as mentioned in the fifth article of this supplement. When this
increased capillary action becomes still more energetic, by the combined
sensorial powers of sensation with irritation, new fibres are secreted, or
new fluids, (which harden into fibres like the mucus secreted by the
silk-worm, or spider, or pinna,) from which new vessels are constructed; it
is then termed inflammation: if this exists in the capillary vessels of the
cellular membrane or skin only, with feeble pulsations of the heart and
arteries, the febris sensitiva inirritata, or malignant fever, occurs; if
the coats of the arteries are also inflamed, the febris sensitiva irritata,
or inflammatory fever, exists.

In all these fevers the part inflamed is called a phlegmon, and by its
violent actions excites so much pain, that is, so much of the sensorial
power of sensation, as to produce more violent actions, and inflammation,
throughout the whole system. Whence great heat from the excited capillaries
of the skin, large and quick pulsations of the heart, full and hard
arteries, with great universal secretions and absorptions. These
perpetually continue, though with exacerbations and remissions; which seem
to be governed by solar or lunar influence.

2. In this situation there generally, I suppose, exists an increased
activity of the secerning vessels of the brain, and consequently an
increased production of sensorial power; in less violent quantity of this
disease however the increase of the action of the heart and arteries may be
owing simply to the accumulation of sensorial power of association in the
stomach, when that organ is affected by sympathy with some inflamed part.
In the same manner as the capillaries are violently and permanently
actuated by the accumulation of the sensorial power of association in the
heart and arteries, when the stomach is affected primarily by contagious
matter, and the heart and arteries secondarily. Thus I suspect, that in the
distinct small-pox the stomach is affected secondarily by sympathy with the
infected tonsils or inoculated arm; but that in the confluent small-pox the
stomach is affected primarily, as well as the tonsils, by contagious matter
mixed with the saliva, and swallowed.

3. In inflammatory fevers with great arterial action, as the stomach