We  proceed  therefore  to  observe,  that  with  the  exception,
perhaps,  of  the  sudor  anglicus,  no  other  pestilence  has  ever
occurred  in  our  world,  which  generally  from  the  primary
entrance  and  fixity  of  the  noxious  stimuli  causative  of  it,
has  so  overwhelmingly  prostrated,  even  in  the  general  run
of  the  mildest  cases  of  it,  such  an  extensive  department  of


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the  organization. The  noxious  agents,  to  a  greater  or  less
extent,  strike  at  once,  even  generally,  in  the  mildest  cases,
with  such  torpidity,  not  only  the  ganglionic  department  of
the  nervous  organization  in  the  assimilative  regions  of  vitali-
ty, but  the  very  cerebro-spinal  radicles  of  total  vitality  are
affected  generally  with  such  torpid  and  paralytic  conditions,
that  they  are  rendered  utterly  incapable  of  instituting  any
actions,  having  any  similitude  to  favourable  recuperative  ex-
citations. The  extremities  of  all  the  vessels,  of  all  the  nu-
trient organs,  arc  quickly  opened  and  converted  into  sluices
for  draining  off  the  waters  of  life;  and  the  sensorial  energies
so  paralyzed,  that  they  are  completely  incapacitated,  even
generally  in  the  mildest  grades  of  this  disease,  from  raising
any  effective  recuperation ;  and  in  the  medial  grades  gene-
rally, nothing  more  than  the  feeblest  and  most  inefficient  fe-
brile or  inflammatory  recuperation,  in  concomitancy  with
occasional  tremors,  twitchings,  and  cramps,  or  spasms  and
convulsions,  which  are  nothing  more  nor  less  than  such  abor-
tive attempts  as  are  made  by  the  torpid,  sensorial,  and  spi-
nal radicles,  to  institute  more  favourable  recuperative  exci-
tation. And  it  is  to  be  particularly  remarked  and  noted,
that  this  position  is  unequivocally  demonstrated  by  an  ap-
propriate consideration  of  the  fact,  that  in  the  highest  grades
of  this  malady,  the  central  energies  of  the  organization  are
totally  paralyzed,  to  the  preclusion  of  exciting  even  these
abortive  spasmodic  manifestations  of  recuperation. In  these
highest  grades,  paralysis  of  the  total  organization  has  so  fix-
edly and  irremovably  occurred,  that  the  central  radicles  of
vitality  are  so  overwhelmed  by  the  noxious  stimuli, — that
they  are  deprived  of  the  power  of  instituting  even  such  fee-
ble movements  in  the  nutrient  region  of  vitality,  as  to  ena-
ble the  extreme  vessels  to  pour  out  the  vital  fluids  by  vomit-
ing or  purging. 