Nor is the Blood alone affected by its Mixture with these Saline Spiculæ, but the rest of the Animal Juices also in Proportion, and especially the Nervous Fluid, which consisting of the most fine Volatil and Subtil Parts, will be render'd extreamly Acrid and Pungent: Whence Pain, Sickness, Inflammations, &c. must necessarily succeed.
CHAP. V.
The Symptoms accompanying a Pestilential Fever are Yawning, Stretching, Coldness, frequently to the greatest Extremity, Shuddering, suddain Pains in the Head, Giddiness, Loathing, Vomiting, a low unequal Pulse, Trembling, great inward Heat, especially about the Præcordia, Coldness of the Extremities, uncertain Sweats, Inquietude, Stupor, Delirium, Watching, Convulsions, Carbuncles, Buboes, Livid Vesications, Purple Spots, Hæmorrhages, which three last are the certain Forerunners of Death.
But here it is to be observed, that all the preceeding Symptoms do not constantly happen to every individual Person who is affected with a Pestilential Fever, but differ both in Number and Degree according to the Degree of Infection, Virulence of the Contagious Particles, and Constitutions of particular Persons; Thus the more the Blood is stock'd with Acrid and Pungent Salts, and other Parts render'd Glutinous, Coagulated, or Inspissated, the hotter the Season of the Year, the more violent the Symptoms will be, where the Degree of Infection is equal, and vice versa.
Yawning, Stretching Lassitude.
These are the first Signs of the Seisure of the fatal Enemy, and take their Rise from the Slowness of the Motion of the Circulating Fluids. For the Viscosity of the moving Fluids being increased, and the Liquidum Nervorum degenerating in Proportion thereto, the Weight to be moved will bear a greater Proportion to the moving Force than in a Natural State, and consequently the Animal must be affected with Weariness, as we find it is in all Cases where the Spirits are exhausted and weakned, in Proportion to the Circulating Juices. The other two are the necessary Consequence of this, for the Viscosity of the Fluids rendring them unfit to pass the small Capillary Vessels, the Pressure on the Fibres and Vessels will be increased, excite an uneasy Sensation, and stimulate them to more frequent Vibrations, in order to dislodge the Enemy: Whence follows a Contraction of the Muscles, and especially those which serve for Voluntary Motion, and into which the Spirits are most frequently determin'd: Hence then appears the Necessity of such a Method and Medicines as may dilute and dissolve the Cohering Fluids, and especially of such as are taken actually hot, and with large Quantities of Diluters, the great Activity of the Fiery Particles contain'd in them, rendring them much more capable of penetrating into the smallest Recesses of the Body, and disjoining the Coagulated Fluids.
Coldness, Shuddering.