Zoonomia Volume I Part 6

But in those muscular fibres, which are subject to constant stimulus, as the arteries, glands, and capillary vessels, another phenomenon occurs, if their accustomed stimulus be withdrawn; which is, that the sensorial power becomes acc.u.mulated in the contractile fibres, owing to the want of its being perpetually expended, or carried away, by their usual unremitted contractions. And on this account those muscular fibres become afterwards excitable into their natural actions by a much weaker stimulus; or into unnatural violence of action by their accustomed stimulus, as is seen in the hot fits of intermittent fevers, which are in consequence of the previous cold ones. Thus the minute vessels of the skin are constantly stimulated by the fluid matter of heat; if the quant.i.ty of this stimulus of heat be a while diminished, as in covering the hands with snow, the vessels cease to act, as appears from the paleness of the skin; if this cold application of snow be continued but a short time, the sensorial power, which had habitually been supplied to the fibres, becomes now acc.u.mulated in them, owing to the want of its being expended by their accustomed contractions. And thence a less stimulus of heat will now excite them into violent contractions.

If the quiescence of fibres, which had previously been subject to perpetual stimulus, continues a longer time; or their accustomed stimulus be more completely withdrawn; the acc.u.mulation of sensorial power becomes still greater, as in those exposed to cold and hunger; pain is produced, and the organ gradually dies from the chemical changes, which take place in it; or it is at a great distance of time restored to action by stimulus applied with great caution in small quant.i.ty, as happens to some larger animals and to many insects, which during the winter months lie benumbed with cold, and are said to sleep, and to persons apparently drowned, or apparently frozen to death. Snails have been said to revive by throwing them into water after having been many years shut up in the cabinets of the curious; and eggs and seeds in general are restored to life after many months of torpor by the stimulus of warmth and moisture.

The inflammation of schirrous tumours, which have long existed in a state of inaction, is a process of this kind; as well as the sensibility acquired by inflamed tendons and bones, which had at their formation a similar sensibility, which had so long lain dormant in their uninflamed state.

3. If after long quiescence from defect of stimulus the fibres, which had previously been habituated to perpetual stimulus, are again exposed to but their usual quant.i.ty of it; as in those who have suffered the extremes of cold or hunger; a violent exertion of the affected organ commences, owing, as above explained, to the great acc.u.mulation of sensorial power. This violent exertion not only diminishes the acc.u.mulated spirit of animation, but at the same time induces pleasure or pain into the system, which, whether it be succeeded by inflammation or not, becomes an additional stimulus, and acting along with the former one, produces still greater exertions; and thus reduces the sensorial power in the contracting fibres beneath its natural quant.i.ty.

When the spirit of animation is thus exhausted by useless exertions, the organ becomes torpid or unexcitable into action, and a second fit of quiescence succeeds that of abundant activity. During this second fit of quiescence the sensorial power becomes again acc.u.mulated, and another fit of exertion follows in train. These vicissitudes of exertion and inertion of the arterial system const.i.tute the paroxysms of remittent fevers; or intermittent ones, when there is an interval of the natural action of the arteries between the exacerbations.

In these paroxysms of fevers, which consist of the libration of the arterial system between the extremes of exertion and quiescence, either the fits become less and less violent from the contractile fibres becoming coming less excitable to the stimulus by habit, that is, by becoming accustomed to it, as explained below XII. 3. 1. or the whole sensorial power becomes exhausted, and the arteries cease to beat, and the patient dies in the cold part of the paroxysm. Or secondly, so much pain is introduced into the system by the violent contractions of the fibres, that inflammation arises, which prevents future cold fits by expending a part of the sensorial power in the extension of old vessels or the production of new ones; and thus preventing the too great acc.u.mulation or exertion of it in other parts of the system; or which by the great increase of stimulus excites into great action the whole glandular system as well as the arterial, and thence a greater quant.i.ty of sensorial power is produced in the brain, and thus its exhaustion in any peculiar part of the system ceases to be affected.

4. Or thirdly, in consequence of the painful or pleasurable sensation above mentioned, desire and aversion are introduced, and inordinate volition succeeds; which by its own exertions expends so much of the spirit of animation, that the two other sensorial faculties, or irritation and sensation, act so much more feebly; that the paroxysms of fever, or that libration between the extremes of exertion and inactivity of the arterial system, gradually subsides. On this account a temporary insanity is a favourable sign in fevers, as I have had some opportunities of observing.

III. _Of repeated Stimulus._

1. When a stimulus is repeated more frequently than the expenditure of sensorial power can be renewed in the acting organ, the effect of the stimulus becomes gradually diminished. Thus if two grains of opium be swallowed by a person unused to so strong a stimulus, all the vascular systems in the body act with greater energy, all the secretions and the absorption from those secreted fluids are increased in quant.i.ty; and pleasure or pain are introduced into the system, which adds an additional stimulus to that already too great. After some hours the sensorial power becomes diminished in quant.i.ty, expended by the great activity of the system; and thence, when the stimulus of the opium is withdrawn, the fibres will not obey their usual degree of natural stimulus, and a consequent torpor or quiescence succeeds, as is experienced by drunkards, who on the day after a great excess of spirituous potation feel indigestion, head-ach, and general debility.

In this fit of torpor or quiescence of a part or of the whole of the system, an acc.u.mulation of the sensorial power in the affected fibres is formed, and occasions a second paroxysm of exertion by the application only of the natural stimulus, and thus a libration of the sensorial exertion between one excess and the other continues for two or three days, where the stimulus was violent in degree; and for weeks in some fevers, from the stimulus of contagious matter.

But if a second dose of opium be exhibited before the fibres have regained their natural quant.i.ty of sensorial power, its effect will be much less than the former, because the spirit of animation or sensorial power is in part exhausted by the previous excess of exertion. Hence all medicines repeated too frequently gradually lose their effect, as opium and wine.

Many things of disagreeable taste at first cease to be disagreeable by frequent repet.i.tion, as tobacco; grief and pain gradually diminish, and at length cease altogether, and hence life itself becomes tolerable.

Besides the temporary diminution of the spirit of animation or sensorial power, which is naturally stationary or resident in every living fibre, by a single exhibition of a powerful stimulus, the contractile fibres themselves, by the perpetual application of a new quant.i.ty of stimulus, before they have regained their natural quant.i.ty of sensorial power, appear to suffer in their capability of receiving so much as the natural quant.i.ty of sensorial power; and hence a permanent deficiency of spirit of animation takes place, however long the stimulus may have been withdrawn. On this cause depends the permanent debility of those, who have been addicted to intoxication, the general weakness of old age, and the natural debility or inirritability of those, who have pale skins and large pupils of their eyes.

There is a curious phenomenon belongs to this place, which has always appeared difficult of solution; and that is, that opium or aloes may be exhibited in small doses at first, and gradually increased to very large ones without producing stupor or diarrhoea. In this case, though the opium and aloes are given in such small doses as not to produce intoxication or catharsis, yet they are exhibited in quant.i.ties sufficient in some degree to exhaust the sensorial power, and hence a stronger and a stronger dose is required; otherwise the medicine would soon cease to act at all.

On the contrary, if the opium or aloes be exhibited in a large dose at first, so as to produce intoxication or diarrhoea; after a few repet.i.tions the quant.i.ty of either of them may be diminished, and they will still produce this effect. For the more powerful stimulus dissevers the progressive catenations of animal motions, described in Sect. XVII. and introduces a new link between them; whence every repet.i.tion strengthens this new a.s.sociation or catenation, and the stimulus may be gradually decreased, or be nearly withdrawn, and yet the effect shall continue; because the sensorial power of a.s.sociation or catenation being united with the stimulus, increases in energy with every repet.i.tion of the catenated circle; and it is by these means that all the irritative a.s.sociations of motions are originally produced.

2. When a stimulus is repeated at such distant intervals of time, that the natural quant.i.ty of sensorial power becomes completely restored in the acting fibres, it will act with the same energy as when first applied.

Hence those who have lately accustomed themselves to large doses of opium by beginning with small ones, and gradually increasing them, and repeating them frequently, as mentioned in the preceding paragraph; if they intermit the use of it for a few days only, must begin again with as small doses as they took at first, otherwise they will experience the inconveniences of intoxication.

On this circ.u.mstance depend the constant unfailing effects of the various kinds of stimulus, which excite into action all the vascular systems in the body; the arterial, venous, absorbent, and glandular vessels, are brought into perpetual unwearied action by the fluids, which are adapted to stimulate them; but these have the sensorial power of a.s.sociation added to that of irritation, and even in some degree that of sensation, and even of volition, as will be spoken of in their places; and life itself is thus carried on by the production of sensorial power being equal to its waste or expenditure in the perpetual movement of the vascular organization.

3. When a stimulus is repeated at uniform intervals of time with such distances between them, that the expenditure of sensorial power in the acting fibres becomes completely renewed, the effect is produced with greater facility or energy. For the sensorial power of a.s.sociation is combined with the sensorial power of irritation, or, in common language, the acquired habit a.s.sists the power of the stimulus.

This circ.u.mstance not only obtains in the annual and diurnal catenations of animal motions explained in Sect. x.x.xVI. but in every less circle of actions or ideas, as in the burthen of a song, or the iterations of a dance; and const.i.tutes the pleasure we receive from repet.i.tion and imitation; as treated of in Sect. XXII. 2.

4. When a stimulus has been many times repeated at uniform intervals, so as to produce the complete action of the organ, it may then be gradually diminished, or totally withdrawn, and the action of the organ will continue. For the sensorial power of a.s.sociation becomes united with that of irritation, and by frequent repet.i.tion becomes at length of sufficient energy to carry on the new link in the circle of actions, without the irritation which at first introduced it.

Hence, when the bark is given at stated intervals for the cure of intermittent fevers, if sixty grains of it be given every three hours for the twenty-four hours preceding the expected paroxysm, so as to stimulate the defective part of the system into action, and by that means to prevent the torpor or quiescence of the fibres, which const.i.tutes the cold fit; much less than half the quant.i.ty, given before the time at which another paroxysm of quiescence would have taken place, will be sufficient to prevent it; because now the sensorial power, termed a.s.sociation, acts in a twofold manner. First, in respect to the period of the catenation in which the cold fit was produced, which is now dissevered by the stronger stimulus of the first doses of the bark; and, secondly, because each dose of bark being repeated at periodical times, has its effect increased by the sensorial faculty of a.s.sociation being combined with that of irritation.

Now, when sixty grains of Peruvian bark are taken twice a day, suppose at ten o'clock and at six, for a fortnight, the irritation excited by this additional stimulus becomes a part of the diurnal circle of actions, and will at length carry on the increased action of the system without the a.s.sistance of the stimulus of the bark. On this theory the bitter medicines, chalybeates, and opiates in appropriated doses, exhibited for a fortnight, give permanent strength to pale feeble children, and other weak const.i.tutions.

5. When a defect of stimulus, as of heat, recurs at certain diurnal intervals, which induces some torpor or quiescence of a part of the system, the diurnal catenation of actions becomes disordered, and a new a.s.sociation with this link of torpid action is formed; on the next period the quant.i.ty of quiescence will be increased, suppose the same defect of stimulus to recur, because now the new a.s.sociation conspires with the defective irritation in introducing the torpid action of this part of the diurnal catenation. In this manner many fever-fits commence, where the patient is for some days indisposed at certain hours, before the cold paroxysm of fever is completely formed. See Sect. XVII. 3. 3. on Catenation of Animal Motions.

6. If a stimulus, which at first excited the affected organ into so great exertion as to produce sensation, be continued for a certain time, it will cease to produce sensation both then and when repeated, though the irritative motions in consequence of it may continue or be re-excited.

Many catenations of irritative motions were at first succeeded by sensation, as the apparent motions of objects when we walk past them, and probably the vital motions themselves in the early state of our existence.

But as those sensations were followed by no movements of the system in consequence of them, they gradually ceased to be produced, not being joined to any succeeding link of catenation. Hence contagious matter, which has for some weeks stimulated the system into great and permanent sensation, ceases afterwards to produce general sensation, or inflammation, though it may still induce topical irritations. See Sect. x.x.xIII. 2. 8. XIX. 9.

Our absorbent system then seems to receive those contagious matters, which it has before experienced, in the same manner as it imbibes common moisture or other fluids; that is, without being thrown into so violent action as to produce sensation; the consequence of which is an increase of daily energy or activity, till inflammation and its consequences succeed.

7. If a stimulus excites an organ into such violent contractions as to produce sensation, the motions of which organ had not usually produced sensation, this new sensorial power, added to the irritation occasioned by the stimulus, increases the activity of the organ. And if this activity be catenated with the diurnal circle of actions, an increasing inflammation is produced; as in the evening paroxysms of small-pox, and other fevers with inflammation. And hence schirrous tumours, tendons and membranes, and probably the arteries themselves become inflamed, when they are strongly stimulated.

IV. _Of Stimulus greater than natural._

1. A quant.i.ty of stimulus greater than natural, producing an increased exertion of sensorial power, whether that exertion be in the mode of irritation, sensation, volition, or a.s.sociation, diminishes the general quant.i.ty of it. This fact is observable in the progress of intoxication, as the increased quant.i.ty or energy of the irritative motions, owing to the stimulus of vinous spirit, introduces much pleasurable sensation into the system, and much exertion of muscular or sensual motions in consequence of this increased sensation; the voluntary motions, and even the a.s.sociate ones, become much impaired or diminished; and delirium and staggering succeed. See Sect. XXI. on Drunkenness. And hence the great prostration of the strength of the locomotive muscles in some fevers, is owing to the exhaustion of sensorial power by the increased action of the arterial system.

In like manner a stimulus greater than natural, applied to a part of the system, increases the exertion of sensorial power in that part, and diminishes it in some other part. As in the commencement of scarlet fever, it is usual to see great redness and heat on the faces and b.r.e.a.s.t.s of children, while at the same time their feet are colder than natural; partial heats are observable in other fevers with debility, and are generally attended with torpor or quiescence of some other part of the system. But these partial exertions of sensorial power are sometimes attended with increased partial exertions in other parts of the system, which sympathize with them, as the flushing of the face after a full meal.

Both these therefore are to be ascribed to sympathetic a.s.sociations, explained in Sect. x.x.xV. and not to general exhaustion or acc.u.mulation of sensorial power.

2. A quant.i.ty of stimulus greater than natural, producing an increased exertion of sensorial power in any particular organ, diminishes the quant.i.ty of it in that organ. This appears from the contractions of animal fibres being not so easily excited by a less stimulus after the organ has been subjected to a greater. Thus after looking at any luminous object of a small size, as at the setting sun, for a short time, so as not much to fatigue the eye, this part of the retina becomes less sensible to smaller quant.i.ties of light; hence when the eyes are turned on other less luminous parts of the sky, a dark spot is seen resembling the shape of the sun, or other luminous object which we last behold. See Sect. XL. No. 2.

Thus we are some time before we can distinguish objects in an obscure room after coming from bright day-light, though the iris presently contracts itself. We are not able to hear weak sounds after loud ones. And the stomachs of those who have been much habituated to the stronger stimulus of fermented or spirituous liquors, are not excited into due action by weaker ones.

3. A quant.i.ty of stimulus something greater than the last mentioned, or longer continued, induces the organ into spasmodic action, which ceases and recurs alternately. Thus on looking for a time on the setting sun, so as not greatly to fatigue the sight, a yellow spectrum is seen when the eyes are closed and covered, which continues for a time, and then disappears and recurs repeatedly before it entirely vanishes. See Sect. XL. No. 5. Thus the action of vomiting ceases and is renewed by intervals, although the emetic drug is thrown up with the first effort. A tenesmus continues by intervals some time after the exclusion of acrid excrement; and the pulsations of the heart of a viper are said to continue some time after it is cleared from its blood.

In these cases the violent contractions of the fibres produce pain according to law 4; and this pain const.i.tutes an additional kind or quant.i.ty of excitement, which again induces the fibres into contraction, and which painful excitement is again renewed, and again induces contractions of the fibres with gradually diminishing effect.

4. A quant.i.ty of stimulus greater than that last mentioned, or longer continued, induces the antagonist muscles into spasmodic action. This is beautifully ill.u.s.trated by the ocular spectra described in Sect. XL. No. 6.

to which the reader is referred. From those experiments there is reason to conclude that the fatigued part of the retina throws itself into a contrary mode of action like oscitation or pandiculation, as soon as the stimulus, which has fatigued it, is withdrawn; but that it still remains liable to be excited into action by any other colours except the colour with which it has been fatigued. Thus the yawning and stretching the limbs after a continued action or att.i.tude seems occasioned by the antagonist muscles being stimulated by their extension during the contractions of those in action, or in the situation in which that action last left them.

5. A quant.i.ty of stimulus greater than the last, or longer continued, induces variety of convulsions or fixed spasms either of the affected organ or of the moving fibres in the other parts of the body. In respect to the spectra in the eye, this is well ill.u.s.trated in No. 7 and 8, of Sect. XL.

Epileptic convulsions, as the emprosthotonos and opisthotonos, with the cramp of the calf of the leg, locked jaw, and other cataleptic fits, appear to originate from pain, as some of these patients scream aloud before the convulsion takes place; which seems at first to be an effort to relieve painful sensation, and afterwards an effort to prevent it.

In these cases the violent contractions of the fibres produce so much pain, as to const.i.tute a perpetual excitement; and that in so great a degree as to allow but small intervals of relaxation of the contracting fibres as in convulsions, or no intervals at all as in fixed spasms.

6. A quant.i.ty of stimulus greater than the last, or longer continued, produces a paralysis of the organ. In many cases this paralysis is only a temporary effect, as on looking long on a small area of bright red silk placed on a sheet of white paper on the floor in a strong light, the red silk gradually becomes paler, and at length disappears; which evinces that a part of the retina, by being violently excited, becomes for a time unaffected by the stimulus of that colour. Thus cathartic medicines, opiates, poisons, contagious matter, cease to influence our system after it has been habituated to the use of them, except by the exhibition of increased quant.i.ties of them; our fibres not only become unaffected by stimuli, by which they have previously been violently irritated, as by the matter of the small-pox or measles; but they also become unaffected by sensation, where the violent exertions, which disabled them, were in consequence of too great quant.i.ty of sensation. And lastly the fibres, which become disobedient to volition, are probably disabled by their too violent exertions in consequence of too great a quant.i.ty of volition.

After every exertion of our fibres a temporary paralysis succeeds, whence the intervals of all muscular contractions, as mentioned in No. 3 and 4 of this Section; the immediate cause of these more permanent kinds of paralysis is probably owing in the same manner to the too great exhaustion of the spirit of animation in the affected part; so that a stronger stimulus is required, or one of a different kind from that, which occasioned those too violent contractions, to again excite the affected organ into activity; and if a stronger stimulus could be applied, it must again induce paralysis.

For these powerful stimuli excite pain at the same time, that they produce irritation; and this pain not only excites fibrous motions by its stimulus, but it also produces volition; and thus all these stimuli acting at the same time, and sometimes with the addition of their a.s.sociations, produce so great exertion as to expend the whole of the sensorial power in the affected fibres.

V. _Of Stimulus less than natural._

1. A quant.i.ty of stimulus less than natural, producing a decreased exertion of sensorial power, occasions an acc.u.mulation of the general quant.i.ty of it. This circ.u.mstance is observable in the hemiplagia, in which the patients are perpetually moving the muscles, which are unaffected. On this account we awake with greater vigour after sleep, because during so many hours, the great usual expenditure of sensorial power in the performance of voluntary actions, and in the exertions of our organs of sense, in consequence of the irritations occasioned by external objects had been suspended, and a consequent acc.u.mulation had taken place.

In like manner the exertion of the sensorial power less than natural in one part of the system, is liable to produce an increase of the exertion of it in some other part. Thus by the action of vomiting, in which the natural exertion of the motions of the stomach are destroyed or diminished, an increased absorption of the pulmonary and cellular lymphatics is produced, as is known by the increased absorption of the fluid deposited in them in dropsical cases. But these partial quiescences of sensorial power are also sometimes attended with other partial quiescences, which sympathize with them, as cold and pale extremities from hunger. These therefore are to be ascribed to the a.s.sociations of sympathy explained in Sect. x.x.xV. and not to the general acc.u.mulation of sensorial power.

2. A quant.i.ty of stimulus less than natural, applied to fibres previously accustomed to perpetual stimulus, is succeeded by acc.u.mulation of sensorial power in the affected organ. The truth of this proposition is evinced, because a stimulus less than natural, if it be somewhat greater than that above mentioned, will excite the organ so circ.u.mstanced into violent activity. Thus on a frosty day with wind, the face of a person exposed to the wind is at first pale and shrunk; but on turning the face from the wind, it becomes soon of a glow with warmth and flushing. The glow of the skin in emerging from the cold-bath is owing to the same cause.

It does not appear, that an acc.u.mulation of sensorial power above the natural quant.i.ty is acquired by those muscles, which are not subject to perpetual stimulus, as the locomotive muscles: these, after the greatest fatigue, only acquire by rest their usual apt.i.tude to motion; whereas the vascular system, as the heart and arteries, after a short quiescence, are thrown into violent action by their natural quant.i.ty of stimulus.

Nevertheless by this acc.u.mulation of sensorial power during the application of decreased stimulus, and by the exhaustion of it during the action of increased stimulus, it is wisely provided, that the actions of the vascular muscles and organs of sense are not much deranged by small variations of stimulus; as the quant.i.ty of sensorial power becomes in some measure inversely as the quant.i.ty of stimulus.

3. A quant.i.ty of stimulus less than that mentioned above, and continued for some time, induces pain in the affected organ, as the pain of cold in the hands, when they are immersed in snow, is owing to a deficiency of the stimulation of heat. Hunger is a pain from the deficiency of the stimulation of food. Pain in the back at the commencement of ague-fits, and the head-achs which attend feeble people, are pains from defect of stimulus, and are hence relieved by opium, essential oils, spirit of wine.

As the pains, which originate from defect of stimulus, only occur in those parts of the system, which have been previously subjected to perpetual stimulus; and as an acc.u.mulation of sensorial power is produced in the quiescent organ along with the pain, as in cold or hunger, there is reason to believe, that the pain is owing to the acc.u.mulation of sensorial power.