Zoonomia; Or, the Laws of Organic Life, Vol. II

by Erasmus Darwin

SPECIES.

[1]. Febris irritativa. Irritative fever. This is the synocha of some writers, it is attended with strong pulse without inflammation; and in this circumstance differs from the febris inirritativa of Class [I. 2. 1. 1]. which is attended with weak pulse without inflammation. The increased frequency of the pulsation of the heart and arteries constitutes fever; during the cold fit these pulsations are always weak, as the energy of action is then decreased throughout the whole system; and therefore the general arterial strength cannot be determined by the touch, till the cold part of the paroxysm ceases. This determination is sometimes attended with difficulty; as strong and weak are only comparative degrees of the greater or less resistance of the pulsation of the artery to the compression of the finger. But the greater or less frequency of the pulsations affords a collateral evidence in those cases, where the degree of strength is not very distinguishable, which may assist our judgment concerning it. Since a moderately strong pulse, when the patient is in a recumbent posture, and not hurried in mind, seldom exceeds 120 strokes in a minute; whereas a weak one often exceeds 130 in a recumbent posture, and 150 in an erect one, in those fevers, which are termed nervous or putrid. See Sect. XII. 1. 4.

The increased frequency of the pulsation of the heart and arteries, as it is occasioned either by excess or defect of stimulus, or of sensorial power, exists both in the cold and hot fits of fever; but when the cold fit ceases, and the pulse becomes strong and full as well as quick, in consequence of the increased irritability of the heart and arteries, it constitutes the irritative fever, or synocha. It is attended with considerable heat during the paroxysm, and generally terminates in a quarter of a lunation, without any disturbance of the faculties of the mind. See Class [IV. 1. 1. 8].

M. M. Venesection. Emetics. Cathartics. Cool the patient in the hot fit, and warm him in the cold one. Rest. Torpentia.

[2]. Ebrietas. Drunkenness. By the stimulus of wine or opium the whole arterial system, as well as every other part of the moving system, is excited into increased action. All the secretions, and with them the production of sensorial power itself in the brain, seem to be for a time increased, with an additional quantity of heat, and of pleasureable sensation. See Sect. XXI. on this subject. This explains, why at the commencement of the warm paroxysm of some fevers the patient is in greater spirits, or vivacity; because, as in drunkenness, the irritative motions are all increased, and a greater production of sensation is the consequence, which when in a certain degree, is pleasureable, as in the diurnal fever of weak people. Sect. XXXVI. 3. 1.

[3]. Hæmorrhagia arteriosa. Arterial hæmorrhage. Bleeding with a quick, strong, and full pulse. The hæmorrhages from the lungs, and from the nose, are the most frequent of these; but it sometimes happens, that a small artery but half divided, or the puncture of a leech, will continue to bleed pertinaciously.

M. M. Venesection. Cathartic with calomel. Divide the wounded artery. Bind sponge on the puncture. If coffee or charcoal internally? If air with less oxygen?

[4]. Hæmoptoe arteriosa. Spitting of arterial blood. Blood spit up from the lungs is florid, because it has just been exposed to the influence of the air in its passage through the extremities of the pulmonary artery; it is frothy, from the admixture of air with it in the bronchia. The patients frequently vomit at the same time from the disagreeable titillation of blood about the fauces; and are thence liable to believe, that the blood is rejected from the stomach.

Sometimes an hæmoptoe for several successive days returns in gouty persons without danger, and seems to supply the place of the gouty paroxysms. Is not the liver always diseased previous to the hæmoptoe, as in several other hæmorrhages? See Class [I. 2. 1. 9].

M. M. Venesection, a purge, a blister, diluents, torpentia; and afterwards sorbentia, as the bark, the acid of vitriol, and opium. An emetic is said to stop a pulmonary hæmorrhage, which it may effect, as sickness decreases the circulation, as is very evident in the great sickness sometimes produced by too large a dose of digitalis purpurea.

Dr. Rush says, a table spoonful or two of common salt is successful in hæmoptoe; this may be owing to its stimulating the absorbent systems, both the lymphatic, and the venous. Should the patient respire air with less oxygen? or be made sick by whirling round in a chair suspended by a rope? One immersion in cold water, or a sudden sprinkling all over with cold water, would probably stop a pulmonary hæmorrhage. See Sect. XXVII. 1.

[5]. Hæmorrhagia narium. Epistaxis. Bleeding at the nose in elderly subjects most frequently attends those, whose livers are enlarged or inflamed by the too frequent use of fermented liquors.

In boys it occurs perhaps simply from redundancy of blood; and in young girls sometimes precedes the approach of the catamenia; and then it shews a disposition contrary to chlorosis; which arises from a deficiency of red blood.

M. M. It is stopped by plunging the head into cold water, with powdered salt hastily dissolved in it; or sometimes by lint strewed over with wheat flour put up the nostrils; or by a solution of steel in brandy applied to the vessel by means of lint. The cure in other respects as in hæmoptoe; when the bleeding recurs at certain periods, after venesection, and evacuation by calomel, and a blister, the bark and steel must be given, as in intermittent fevers. See Section XXVII. 1.

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ORDO I.

Increased Irritation.

GENUS [II].

With increased Actions of the Secerning System.

These are always attended with increase of partial or of general heat; for the secreted fluids are not simply separated from the blood, but are new combinations; as they did not previously exist as such in the blood vessels. But all new combinations give out heat chemically; hence the origin of animal heat, which is always increased in proportion to the secretion of the part affected, or to the general quantity of the secretions. Nevertheless there is reason to believe, that as we have a sense purposely to distinguish the presence of greater or less quantities of heat, as mentioned in Sect. XIV. 6. so we may have certain minute glands for the secretion of this fluid, as the brain is believed to secrete the sensorial power, which would more easily account for the instantaneous production of the blush of shame, and of anger. This subject deserves further investigation.