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movements.

tion freer; a laffitude or debility takes place, from the uncommon expence of the irritable principle confumed by the increased actions of the heart and arteries, and the fecretions dependant in a great measure on their In fhort, the pulfe is rendered harder, fuller, and stronger. The fkin is redder than ufual, but especially that of the face, with other figns of general plethora*, to which the fluids from increased abforption certainly contribute, though it chiefly arifes from the increased force of the vascular fyftem. In fhort, more or less of fever is kept up, which varies in different people, according to circumstances, continues for an indeterminate time, or until the increased force of the heart and arteries, kept up by the accumulated irritability of the fyftem, from the previous effect of cold, ceafes, that is, until the right balance between the irritability of the fibre and the external stimulus be properly adjusted.

* HEAT has the property of expanding all bodies: thus a circular piece of iron made exactly to pass through a ring, when heated, will be found too large, and thus the rings on the fingers of those who have paffed into warmer climates, will be found, from the increased fize of that part of the body, too tight. In the cold fit of an ague rings are obferved to drop off. But the PLETHORA here spoken of arifes from the increased action of the abforbent, as well as the vafcular fyftem.

VOL. II.

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But

But if, on the contrary, we pass from a warm to a cold climate no fuch evil effects are obferved to take place. LINNAEUS, in a paper in the Amænitates Academiæ, expresses his aftonishment at the impunity with which the heated LAPLANDER rubs himself with now, or even rolls in the fnow, and drinks the cold fnow water. We every day fee horses in a state of the most profuse perfpiration freely washed with cold water, and always without injury. I have, fays Dr. BEDDOES, within these two years caufed horfes, accustomed to be stabled, to be turned out in winter; and no cough, catarrh, or other diforder, has ever been the confequence. It appears therefore to me, continues this ingenious phyfician, that within certain limits, and thofe not very narrow, the transition from a higher to a lower temperature is attended with no danger to animals in a state of tolerable health; and a perfon, I conceive, might fuddenly pass from an higher to a lower temperature without inconvenience, even where the difference is fo great as to be capable of producing confiderable inflammation, if the change should be made with equal celerity in a contrary direction.

It has been before obferved, that if you keep one of your hands in cold water for two minutes; then put both hands into warm water; and the hand which has been in

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the cold water firft will feel much the warmer of the two. Or else, handle fome Snow with one hand, while you keep the other in your bosom, that it may be no colder than the rest of your body; now bring both within an equal distance of the fire, and you will feel how much more THE HEAT affects the cold than the warm hand. This would be a dangerous experiment were the hand kept too long in the fnow, or if the fire be too strong. For in fome countries where the cold is much greater than it ever is in ENGLAND, it is common for people to have their toes and fingers and ears fo froft-bitten as to lofe all their feeling; and should that perfon warm them at a fire, or put them into warm water, a VIOLENT INFLAMMATION is fure to come on, and the part mortifies. So they are obliged to fet cautiously about bringing the part back to its natural feeling, and they rub it hard with now, by which means they recover it in the gentlest and most gradual manner*.

So when a person is out in very cold weather, the air, every time he draws his breath, brushes his noftrils, wind-pipe, and lungs; and just as is the cafe with the outward skin, it makes these parts more liable to be INFLAMED by HEAT.

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If you attend to what not unfrequently happens in coming out of a cold moist air into a warm room, you will first perceive a glow within your noftrils and breast, as well as all over the furface of your body. Soon afterwards, more especially, if you drink warm or spirituous liquors, a difagreeable drynefs, or hufkinefs, will be felt in the noftrils and breaft; by and bye a fhort tickling cough will come on from an increafed fecretion of the glands of the nose, fauces, and wind-pipe, which being of a sharp nature stimulates the glands to a further increase of fecretion, which often occasions a very large discharge of fharp mucus. You will perhaps at first fhiver a little; this will make you draw nearer the fire and drink fome more brandy and water: but it will be all to no purpose. The more you try to heat yourself, the more chilly and uncomfortable will you become, for you have now caught cold, that is, you have brought on AN INFLAMMATION of the chilled part, which is the fmooth moist skin which lines the noftrils and goes down the wind-pipe into the lungs, and I wish you, with all my heart, well rid of it, and safe from the complaints which fevere colds are apt to leave behind them.

I have fometimes been able to make other persons, fays Dr. BEDDOES, attentive to the progress of these phenomena,

phenomena, and nothing has appeared more evident, than that during exposure to wet and cold no tendency to INFLAMMATION is perceptible, but that subsequent heat, exercife in the dry, and ftimulants, produce the glow or

INFLAMMATION.

By keeping quiet and cool for fome time after being wet in fummer, and by avoiding a fudden tranfition into a warm temperature in cold weather, and by temperance with regard to diet (rather abftemiousness), in both cafes those INFLAMMATORY DISEASES, for which cold only prepares the fyftem, may be easily avoided; and any perfon, by acting upon these principles, may have at pleafure a flight or a violent catarrh, or no catarrh at all*.

*The popular treatment, therefore, of colds during their early stage is just as prejudicial as the ancient hot regimen during the SMALL-POX. White wine whey, buttered ale, increased clothing, getting drunk, &c. originated from the fuppofition, that colds proceed from obstructed perspiration, whereas it is found from the very accurate experiments of SANCTORIUS, and our countryman Dr. KEIL, that the perfpiration is at that time as abundant as at any other. It has continued, because the faculty were, till of late, unapprized of the nature of colds, and from partial success in this dangerous practice, as perSpiration, when produced, carries off fuperabundant heat. For the fluid that escapes from the body confifts chiefly of watery moisture, which uniting with a large portion of fenfible heat, is carried off in the form of fteam. Hence the more speedy the evaporation, the more fudden is the diminution of heat; or, in more familiar terms, the greater is the degree of cold thus generated. Hence the heaping on of STIMULI in a disease demanding an oppofite treatment, has oftentimes done good, but it is to be feared, it has not unfrequently done harm, whereas the treatment here laid down is both fafe and effectual. Vide Part IV. The Section on CATARRH.

SECT.

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