e in consequence
termed irritative, and inirritative fevers. In this second class of
diseases another kind of fever occurs, which is caused by excess of
sensation, and termed in consequence Sensitive Fever. But there is no fever
from defect of sensation, because the circulation is carried on in health
without our consciousness, that is, without any sensation attending it.
But as excess of sensation may exist with excess or defect of irritation,
two other kinds of fever arise from a combination of sensitive fever with
the irritative, and inirritative ones. Making five kinds in all.
1. Irritative fever, described in Class I. 1. 1. 1.
2. Inirritative fever. Class I. 2. 1. 1.
3. Sensitive fever. Class II. 1. 6. 1.
4. Sensitive irritated fever. Class II. 1. 2. 1.
5. Sensitive inirritated fever. Class II. 1. 3. 1.
As the sensitive irritated fever attends all the diseases enumerated under
the genus about to be described, it is placed at the head of it. And as the
sensitive inirritated fever accompanies the greatest number of the species
enumerated under the third genus of this order, it is placed at the head of
them. And as the sensitive fever attends the diseases of the sixth genus,
it is placed at the head of them. But as every febrile paroxysm consists of
disordered tribes or trains of associated motions, it may be doubted,
whether they ought not all to have been placed in the fourth class, amongst
the diseases of association. See Class IV. 2. 4. 11.
All the subsequent species of this genus are attended with sensitive
irritated fever; there are nevertheless some superficial inflammations,
which affect the same situations without much fever, as the scrophulous
ophthalmy and spurious peripneumony, which belong to other genera.
Inflammation is uniformly attended with the production or secretion of new
fibres constituting new vessels; this therefore may be esteemed its
essential character, or the criterion of its existence. The extension of
the old vessels seems rather a consequence than a cause of the germination,
or pullulation, of these new ones; for the old vessels may be enlarged, and
excited with unusual energy, without any production of new ones, as in the
blush of shame or of anger.
When these new vessels are formed, if they are not reabsorbed into the
circulation, they secrete a new fluid called purulent matter; which
generally opens itself a passage on the external skin, and produces an
ulcer, whic
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