Popular Lectures on Zoonomia / Or The Laws of Animal Life, in Health and Disease

by Thomas Garnett

Among the sthenic or inflammatory diseases may be enumerated rheumatism, catarrh, cynanche, or sore throat, scarlet fever, inflammations of the brain, stomach, lungs, &c. &c.

Many of the contagious diseases, particularly small pox and measles, produce a sthenic state, and are to be cured, or their action moderated, by the debilitating plan which has been pointed out; and particularly by a moderate, constant, and equable diminution of temperature. Hence the violence of these diseases is greater when they attack a person already predisposed to sthenic diathesis, but much more mild when the excitement is rather under par.

LECTURE XII. ON INFLAMMATION AND ASTHENIC DISEASES.

The last lecture was taken up chiefly with an account of sthenic diseases, or those depending on too great a degree of excitement, and which have been generally, but improperly, called inflammatory or phlogistic. In that lecture I attempted to show, that when the natural exciting powers, which support life, act with too much power, or particularly if we employ any stimulants not natural to the body, the functions both of body and mind become increased in vigour; but if the exciting causes are continued and increased, the functions become disturbed, and their action becomes painful and distressing. This state, which is called sthenic diathesis, is often accompanied by a redness, swelling, pain, and increased heat of some particular part: these symptoms constitute what is usually termed an inflammation of the part.

The method of cure in sthenic diseases was shown to be, by reducing or moderating the action of the exciting powers; by keeping the body cool; abstaining from high seasoned, and, in general, from animal food; by the use of purgatives, and in many cases by diminishing the quantity of blood in the body. I mentioned likewise, that it would be but of little use to attempt to subdue the excitement of the inflamed part, unless the excitement of the whole system was previously diminished; but that after a general bloodletting, stimulant remedies applied to the inflamed part, might be employed with success. This is strictly agreeable to experience, but at first sight seems so very contrary to the principles that have been advanced, that I shall endeavour to explain the phenomena of inflammation, which do not seem to be in general well understood.

All kinds of inflammation agree, in being attended with redness, increased temperature, pain, and swelling; but they vary according to the situation and texture of the part affected. All parts of the body, excepting the cuticle, nails, hardest part of the teeth, and hair, are subject to inflammation.

Among the causes of these complaints, may be enumerated too full a diet, particularly too free a use of fermented liquors, and whatever increases the impetus of the blood towards the part, as mechanical and chemical irritation, and sudden changes of temperature, particularly from cold to heat.

To explain the nature of inflammation, it may be observed, that such is the wise constitution of the animal body, that whatever injures it, excites motions calculated to correct or expel the offending cause. Thus if an irritating substance is received into the stomach, it excites vomiting; if into the lungs, a violent fit of coughing is excited, and if into the nostrils, sneezing is the consequence. In such cases we can readily trace the motions excited, and the manner in which they act; but cannot trace the manner in which the offending cause excites these motions.

Now if it can be shown that inflammation, like vomiting and coughing, is an effort of the system to remove an offending cause, and if we can trace every step of this operation, with the exception of the changes induced on the nervous system, we shall understand the nature of inflammation as completely as that of any function of the body.

The circumstance the most difficult to explain, is the increased redness of the part affected, which can only depend on an increased quantity of blood in the vessels. This has been supposed to depend upon an increased action of the vessels of the part; but that this is not the case, must be evident from what was said when we were speaking of the circulation of the blood. It was shown, that the circulation could not be carried on by the mere force of elasticity alone; this force, were it perfect, would produce no effect; but as there is no body with which we are acquainted that is perfectly elastic; so the coats of the arteries are very far from being so, hence their effect as elastic tubes will be to diminish the force of the heart, instead of adding to it; for a certain quantity of this force will be spent in distending the vessels, which, were they perfectly elastic, would be restored to them, but as this is not the case, this force is by no means restored. Indeed a variety of considerations, observations, and experiments, tend to prove, that the vessels are endowed with a power very different from elasticity, which differs only in degree from that of the heart; in short, they are possessed of muscular power.