because in cases of apoplexy the irritative motions of the arterial system
do not seem to be impaired, nor in common sleep. See Incubus III. 2. 1. 13.

M. M. Opium in very small doses, as three drops of laudanum. A person
should watch the patient, and awaken him frequently; or he should measure
the time between slumber and slumber by a stop-watch, and awaken the
patient a little before he would otherwise awake; or he should keep his
finger on the pulse, and should forcibly awaken him, as soon as it becomes
irregular, before the disorder of the circulation becomes so great as to
disturb him. See Class I. 2. 1. 9. and Sect. XXVII. 2.

4. _Syncope._ Fainting consists in the decreased action of the arterial
system; which is sometimes occasioned by defect of the stimulus of
distention, as after venesection, or tapping for the dropsy. At other times
it arises from great emotions of the mind, as in sudden joy or grief. In
these cases the whole sensorial power is exerted on these interesting
ideas, and becomes exhausted. Thus during great surprise or fear the heart
stops for a time, and then proceeds with throbbing and agitation; and
sometimes the vital motions become so deranged, as never to recover their
natural successive action; as when children have been frightened into
convulsions. See Sect. XII. 7. 1.

Miss ----, a young lady of Stafford, in travelling in a chaise was so
affected by seeing the fall of a horse and postillion, in going down a
hill, though the carriage was not overturned, that she fainted away, and
then became convulsed, and never spoke afterwards; though she lived about
three days in successive convulsions and stupor.

5. _Haemorrhagia venosa._ A bleeding from the capillaries arising from
defect of venous absorption, as in some of those fevers commonly termed
putrid. When the blood stagnates in the cellular membrane, it produces
petechiae from this torpor or paralysis of the absorbent mouths of the
veins. It must be observed, that those people who have diseased livers, are
more liable to this kind of haemorrhages, as well as to the haemorrhagia
arteriosa; the former, because patients with diseased livers are more
subject to paralytic complaints in general, as to hemiplegia, and to
dropsy, which is a paralysis of the lymphatics; and the latter is probably
owing to the delay of the circulation in the vena porta by the torpor of
this hepatic vessel, when the liver is not much enlarged; and to its
pressure