Here terminate the propositions of physiology; and we are inclined to think that they well merit the attention of the medical practitioner. They contain many profound views of the animal economy in health-views which naturally lead to others still more profound and important in disease. We shall therefore, proceed at once to the second division of the subject.

SECT. II.-PATHOLOGY.

67. Health consists in regularity of the various functionsdisease in their irregularity-death in their cessation.

68. The functions are irregular when one or more are exercised with two much or too little energy.

69. The energy of a function is in excess, when it precipitates, suspends, or deranges other functions with which it is associated, so as to menace the organs on which these functions depend.

70. The energy of a function languishes, when the organ or organs by which it is performed do not enjoy a sufficient degree of vital power.

71. The vitality of an organ may have been too much exalted before it became diminished, and vice versa.

72. There is no such thing as a general and uniform diminution or exaltation of the vitality of all organs.

73. Exaltation of the vital force always commences in one organic system, and is thence propagated to one or more other systems.

74. The nature of the exaltation thus communicated from one organ to another, is the same as the original exaltationnamely, an augmentation of the vital phenomena.

75. The exaltation of one or more organic systems invariably occasions languor or depression in some other system or appa

ratus.

76. The diminution of vitality in one or more organs often occasions exaltation of one or more other organs or parts-but sometimes a diminution in these last.

77. The exaltation of vitality in an organ or apparatuspresupposes a degree of excitement produced there by stimulants, which is incompatible with the maintenance of healththat is to say, a super-excitation produced by super-stimulation. 78. A local or partial super-excitement always supposes a too great afflux of fluids to the parts, viz.-a congestion prejudicial to the exercise of the functions of the part.

79. The union of super-excitation and partial morbid con

gestion always induces an unnatural or irregular nutrition of the part-thus constituting a state of active congestion, necessarily tending to disorganization.

80. Super-excitation and active local congestion are compatible with a general diminution of the sum total of vital force in the individual.

81. Local diminution of vital force is always followed by local diminution of nutrition, though passive congestion may sometimes co-exist in the part.

82. Passive congestion may cause disorganization, but this not nearly so often as active congestion.

83. Active morbid congestion being always the companion of super-excitation or super-irritation, this last word will be used, for brevity's sake, as comprehending the said condition of active morbid congestion; and this is to be particularly borne in mind.

84. Irritation may exist in a system or apparatus, without any other system or apparatus being involved; but then the irritation is very inconsiderable. As soon as the irritation rises to a certain point, it is propagated to other systems or parts, more or less remote, and that without any change in its nature. 85. The nerves are the sole agents in the transmission of irritation-thus constituting the MORBID SYMPATHIES, which are 'effected in the same way as healthy sympathies, except that, in the former case, the nerves transmit irritation or superexcitation instead of the healthy quantity of excitation.

86. MORBID SYMPATHIES are of two kinds-organic sympathies, and sympathies of relation. The former are manifested by organic phenomena, as increased action, congestions, derangements in the secretions, exhalations, &c. changes in the temperature of the body, and vices of nutrition :-these are ORGANIC Sympathies. The sympathies of RELATION are manifested by pains, convulsions of the voluntary muscles, and mental aberrations.

87. The organic sympathies may exist without the sympathies of relation; but these last induce sooner or later the former. In general, the two kinds of morbid sympathies coexist.

88. The greater the sensibility of the organ that is irritated, and of the individual generally, the more the morbid sympathies are multiplied, and vice versa.

89. The more numerous and active the morbid sympathies, the more grave the malady.

90. Sympathies of relation (86) when in excess, may occasion death, which seems to depend on some serious derangement

of the sensorium, in such cases. Excess in the organic sympathies may also cause death, by congestion and disorganization of one or more of the viscera.

91. The organ which is primarily irritated is sometimes the only one to suffer congestion or disorganization-the sympathising organs not being sufficiently irritated to partake in the congestion or disorganization.

92. The organs sympathetically irritated may contract a higher degree of irritation than that of the organ originally affected. In such cases the disease changes its place and name. This is metastasis.*

93. The organ which has become the seat of a metastasis, excites, in its turn, other sympathies proper to the organ-and these again may become predominant:-such are the ERRATIC INFLAMMATIONS, &c.

94. If the sympathetic irritations which the principal viscera determine in the organs of secretion, exhalation, and in the surface of the body, become more powerful than those in the viscera themselves, these viscera are relieved and the disease speedily terminates in a favourable manner. These are the CRISES. In such cases, the irritation proceeds from the interior to the exterior.

95. Critical congestions always terminate by some evacuation from the system, whether secretory, purulent, or hæmorrhagic. Without one of these, the crisis is not complete.

96. If irritation proceeds from the exterior to the interioror from one viscus to another of more importance, the disease is aggravated. These are the false crises of authors.

97. Irritations have no fixed duration or march; both one and other are determined by the idiosyncrasy of the individual, or by the influence of various external or internal agencies.

98. Irritation has a tendency to propagate itself by similarity of tissue and organic system-this is what constitutes diathesis. Nevertheless, it sometimes passes into tissues of a very different kind from those in which it originated-and this more frequently in acute than in chronic diseases.

99. When irritation accumulates the blood in a tissue, so as to present swelling, redness, and heat, capable of disorganizing† the part irritated, we give it the name of inflammation.

* This, we think, is the most simple, natural, and just explanation that has ever been given of metastasis, about which so many absurd controversies have taken place.

↑ By this is evidently meant a change from the natural or healthy structure, and not such a degree of change as is incompatible with return to healthy structure. This last acceptation is that in which we generally receive the word disorganization in this country.

100. Inflammation, even of the most intense kind, is not necessarily accompanied by local pain.

101. The local pain of inflammation offers a very great variety, dependent on the nature and degree of the sensibility of the part, and of the individual generally.

102. Inflammation often excites more pain in the parts which are sympathetically affected, than in those where the original focus of inflammation is seated. Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and bowels, &c. offers daily examples.*

103. When inflammation excites no pain, it only awakens the organic sympathies. (86.)

104. Inflammation always effects a change in the fluids of the part inflamed. 105. It may exist without suppuration.

106. Inflammation often leaves, as a sequela, a kind of irritation, which does not go by its own name, and produces a kind of cacochymia, which has been falsely considered as idiopathic.

107. Inflammation often excites sympathies of relation (86) which have occupied the attention of writers and practitioners, as idiopathic diseases, and are called nervous,-the neuroses.t 108. Inflammation does not change its nature in consequence of the debility which it induces.

109. The irritations of all organs are transmitted to the brain, where they acquire a certain degree of intensity, especially if they be inflammatory irritations. There is then induced an alteration of the intellectual and affective faculties, and a state of malaise or even pain, which is referred to various parts rather than to its primary seat. An excess in this morbid sympathy ends occasionally in encephalitis.

110. Intense irritations of all organs are constantly transmitted to the stomach, from the very beginning-hence result inappetence, alteration of colour in the tongue and its secretions, &c. If this irritation, when propagated to the stomach,

* The same may be said of irritation. This, though seated in the stomach or small intestines, will often shew itself any where and every where, rather than in the spot where it has its head quarters.

↑ Here the ingenious author begins to tread on tender ground, though not entirely untrodden before. Dr. Parry resolutely maintained that the neuroses were occasioned by determination of blood, which is nearly the same thing as what Broussais is contending for in this place. If, for the terms used by both authors, they had substituted irritation, we should have been ready to agree with them. As it is, the doctrine of Broussais is one of great interest, as will be seen in our progress. It will tend greatly to remove some of the obscurity which involves the class neuroses, and prove that many of them which are considered idiopathic, are only sympathetic irritations of disordered viscera or deranged secretions.

rises to the point of inflammation, we have then the symptoms of gastritis, in consequence of which, the brain is more irritated than before, and, in a very high degree of this sympathetic cerebral irritation, inflammation of the brain itself may take place.

111. Intense irritations of all organs are transmitted to the heart; and then the circulation is accelerated, the heat augmented, and most unpleasant sensations excited on the surface. This is fever, taken in a general or abstracted point of view.

112. Fever is always the consequence of irritation of the heart, primitive or sympathetic.

113. Every irritation sufficiently intense to produce fever is a shade of inflammation.

114. Every inflammation sufficiently intense to produce fever, when propagated to the heart, is, at the same time, sufficiently so to be propagated to the brain and stomachand as the nature of inflammation is not changed by its sympathetic propagation from one organ to another, the affection of heart, brain, and stomach, in these cases, is a grade or shade of inflammation.

115. Irritations transmitted to the brain and stomach from an inflamed organ, sometimes diminish, while the original inflammation persists; and these two organs (brain and stomach) regain their functions, whilst the heart continues to be greatly irritated, and to keep up the fever.

116. Although the brain and stomach continue their functions during the inflammation of other organs; yet they are nevertheless irritated organically. (86.) This irritation borders on inflammation, and not seldom changes into this state, if the original focus of inflammation continues till death.

117. If the irritation excited by sympathy in the stomach and brain, instead of diminishing, becomes more intense than that in the original focus-the case is metastasis of inflammation to these organs.

118. Inflammation of the encephalon always draws after it inflammation of the alimentary passages, and sometimes of the organs annexed to these passages :-this is an organic sympathy.*

119. Inflammation of the encephalon is more frequently the sympathetic effect of inflammation of the stomach, than the

cause.

* We cannot agree with M. Broussais on this point, unless he modifies the term inflammation into irritation. With this modification it would be difficult for any close observer of nature to deny the truth of the proposition.