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Aretæus mentions among the figns of the medicines he advifes, of which wine is the principal, taking effect," that the voice "returns to its natural tone and pitch," and, as he expreffes it," " becomes every

way alive, the fenfes are restored, and "nature seems to be again reproduced." Cælius Aurelianus reckons expressly among the good effects of wine," its diminishing "the infenfibility and ftupor, and causing

the patient to regard with pleasure the "endeavours of the attendants for his fer"vice."

m

Opium too, which has been introduced. into " practice of late years in the nervous. fever, and frequently adminiftred, and in pretty large dofes, is well known to exert great cordial effects on the mind and spirits.

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* Φω ή δε συνήθης ευφων και τα παντα ζωώδης εξένηψε δε την αισθησιν, ατὰς ηδ' εξεβλάτησε τὴν φυήν, Aretaus.

1 Torpor atque ftupor corporis infractus (diminutus) ad omnia quæque facilis ægrotantis arrifio. Cal. Aurel. Wall on the Ufe of Opium in low Fevers.

n Parva dofi pulfum validum efficit et alacritatem, inftar cardiaci affert. Rutty Mat. Med.

Ductorum

The accounts given of its efficacy in this way among the Turks, and other nations that are habituated to its ufe, prove this fufficiently, and it is probably owing entirely to this effect of it upon the nervous fyftem, that it becomes ufeful in this complaint. • Galen seems to have recommended theriaca, which is well known to be no more than an opiate combined with spices, with this intention in the morbus cardiacus, which I have before mentioned to be the fame with the nervous fever.

Neither opium, nor any of its preparations much in ufe in the prefent age, are esteemed

Ductorum veritas è fingulari hilaritate, quam opium cæteraque hujus commatis modice ufurpantibus in principio conciliant maximè elucefcit. Gentes pene omnes in India, Japonia, Turcia, Perfia, ac reliquis regionibus, orientalibus opio depurato, ét variis inde præparatis, nec minus inebriantibus, et narcoticis aliis frequentiffime in conviviis, et extra illa ad hilaritatem fibi conciliandam mæroremque difcutiendum. Cartheufer Mat. Med. Ruffel's Hift. of Aleppo, p. 84. Haffelqueft's Travels.

• De theriaca ad Pifones.

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to poffefs confiderable antifeptic qualities, or indeed any others, by which it could act in any material degree on the fluids of the body; and if it did poffefs fuch qualities, the quantity in which it is given is too small to admit the fuppofition of its operating by means of them. Is it not probable then, that its good effects are produced, by its compofing the nervous agitations, and by its introducing fenfations of an agreeable kind, which tend, of courfe, in the fame manner with joy, and fuch like exhilarating paffions, to excite the motion of the heart, and blood veffels, and to strengthen the natural functions of the fyftem in general? This conjecture wlil receive additional ftrength, if we reflect that the debilitating paffions, as fear, grief, &c. have been in all ages reckoned among the principal caufes of the nervous fever. The fimilarity in the effect produced, renders it highly probable, that wine and opium owe the principal advantages they procure, to the fame general property. Wine indeed, largely taken, might be useful as an antiseptic; and I by no means deny, that it may be of fervice fpecifically, when

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adminiftred with that intention. But if opium produces nearly the fame effects (as it is faid to do) we must look for fome other cause of the efficacy of wine, and refer it to fome qualities which it poffeffes in common with opium, which can be no other than thofe of a fedative and cordial kind, the action of which is confined to the nervous fyftem only.

ORDO

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ORDO II.

PHLEGMASIÆ.

GENUS IX.

PHRENITIS.

TTENTION to mental affections is

here highly neceffary. Some of the writers of antiquity have given very judicious directions with regard to this point. Aretæus condefcends to remark several circumftances apparently minute, but in reality very important. Thus he advifes quiet and calmnefs both to the fick perfon and his attendants, and that he should be placed in a chamber of a moderate fize, with the walls fmooth, uniform, and regular, and without projections, and not ornamented with variety of colours or paintings, as these, he says,

a

Τοῖχο λείοι, ομαλοί, μηδ' υπερισχοντες, μηδε άχναι, μηδε γραφή σε ευκοσμοι· ἐρεθισικον γας τοιχογραφία. και γαρ προ των οφθαλμων αμφαιρεουσι τινα ψευδέα ινδαλα ματα, και τα μη εξισχοντα αμφανόωσι ως υπερίσχοντα, και πᾶσα πρόφασις αναιτιη πρόκλησις χειρῶν φορῆς. Aret, de Cur. Acut. Morb. L. I. C. 1.

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