of the fibres of the
stomach, so as to overbalance the defect of the excitement of their
association.

6. The stomach is affected secondarily in fevers with strong pulse, as in
those with weak pulse it is affected primarily. To illustrate this doctrine
I shall relate the following case of Mr. Y----. He was a young man rather
intemperate in the use of wine or beer, and was seized with a cold fit, and
with a consequent hot one with strong pulse; on examining his hypochondrium
an oblong tumour was distinctly felt on the left side of the stomach, which
extended six or eight inches downward, and was believed to be a tumour of
the spleen, which thus occasioned by its torpor the cold fit and consequent
hot fit of fever with strong pulse. This fever continued, though with
remissions, for two or three weeks; and the patient repeatedly lost blood,
used cathartics with calomel and sena, and had frequent antimonial and
saline medicines. And after he was much weakened by evacuations, the
peruvian bark and small doses of steel removed the fever, but the tumour
remained many years during the remainder of his life.

In this case the tumour of the spleen was occasioned by the torpor of the
absorbent vessels; while the secerning vessels continued somewhat longer to
pour their fluids into the cells of it. Then the inactivity of this viscus
affected the whole system with torpor by the deficient excitement of the
sensorial power of association, which contributes along with the irritation
caused by their specific stimuli to actuate the whole sanguiferous,
secerning, and absorbent vessels; and along with these the stomach, which
possesses perhaps greater mobility, or promptitude to torpor or to orgasm,
than any other part. And after a time all these parts recover their actions
by the accumulation of their sensorial power of association. But the spleen
not recovering its action from the accumulation of its power of irritation,
as appeared from the continuance of the tumor, still affects the stomach by
its defective irritative motions ceasing to excite the association, which
ought to contribute to actuate it.

Hence the stomach continues torpid in respect to its motions, but
accumulates its power of association; which is not excited into action by
the defective motions of the spleen; this accumulation of the sensorial
power of association now by its superabundance actuates the next link of
associate motions, which consists of the heart and art