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The application of the stimulus, whether that stimulus be some quality of external bodies, or pleasure or pain, or desire or aversion, or a link of association, excites the correspondent sensorial power into action, and this causes the contraction of the fibre.
When besides the tendency to quiescence occasioned by the expenditure of sensorial power during the hot fit of fever, some other cause of torpor, as the solar or lunar periods, is necessary to the introduction of a second cold fit; the fever becomes of the intermittent kind; that is, there is a space of time intervenes between the end of the hot fit, and the commencement of the next cold one.
See Sect. In the diseases occasioned by a defect of sensorial exertion, as in cold fits of ague, hysteric complaint, and nervous fever, the following means are those commonly used. 1. Increase the stimulation above its natural quantity for some weeks, till a new habit of more energetic contraction of the fibres is established.
And secondly, if the quantity of sensorial power be lessened, and the stimulus be increased to a certain degree, as in giving opium in nervous fevers, the arterial contractions may be performed more frequently than natural, yet with less strength.
All these sensual motions, like the muscular ones above mentioned, are performed with strength and velocity in proportion to the energy of the sensation of pleasure or pain, which excites them, and the quantity of sensorial power.
VII. Cure of decreased Exertion. Where the exertion of the sensorial powers is much decreased, as in the cold fits of fever, a gradual accumulation of the spirit of animation takes place; as occurs in all cases where inactivity or torpor of a part of the system exists; this accumulation of sensorial power increases, till stimuli less than natural are sufficient to throw it into action, then the cold fit ceases; and from the action of the natural stimuli a hot one succeeds with increased activity of the whole system.
If the sensorial power continues to act, whether it acts in the mode of irritation, sensation, volition, or association, a new contraction of the animal fibre succeeds after a certain interval; which interval is of shorter continuance in weak people than in strong ones. This is exemplified in the shaking of the hands of weak people, when they attempt to write.
The popular descriptions of attention easily make it appear as if such were the solution of the problem. If one sensorial brain part is intensely engaged, the remainder of the brain is condemned to a kind of inactivity. Yet such a dogma is hardly better than the old-fashioned one that the soul can have only one idea at a time.
All these connections are said to be produced by habit, that is, by frequent repetition. These laws of animal causation will be evinced by numerous facts, which occur in our daily exertions; and will afterwards be employed to explain the more recondite phænomena of the production, growth, diseases, and decay of the animal system. Four sensorial powers. 2.
When these parts are deprived of their usual motions by deficiency of sensorial power, as above explained, they become painful according to law the fifth in Section IV. and the less pain originally excited by the stimulus of concreted bile, or of a stone at their other extremities ceases to be perceived.
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