Heat increases sensibility, and cold diminishes it. The sensibility is also less in torpid constitutions, in weak states where the circulation is not carried on to the extremities, from the application of narcotics from habit, and the attention strongly directed to some interesting object. Will not a fixed resolution have a similar effect?

Depravity of sense is also an affection of the vital solid, and consists in either a false estimate of the

6M force of external impressions, or in referring to the external what is owing to the internal ones. This is, however, as we have had occasion to observe, a disease of the brain itself, and owing to an inequality of excitement, or some impediment to the free communication between its different parts. See Mania.

The diseases of the moving organs are nearly the same in principle, though not in name. These are irritability and torpor, corresponding in their causes, perhaps their nature, to increased and diminished sensibility, and generally connected with the same constitutions. The former is the distinguishing mark of the sanguine, the latter of the melancholic, temperament. There is, however, another state consistent with the highest health, which consequently may become disease, and is always a predisposition to disease, viz. the vigour of the muscular fibres, the attendant of the diathesis phlogistica, and in which it indeed consists. But to be more particular.

Irritability is generally connected with the more dedicate texture of the solid parts, an increased elasticity of the fibres, peculiar quickness of the senses, a more fluid blood, a tender constitution, a more rapid action of the heart and arteries: it is consequently often hereditary, more frequent in females, in warm climates, those who live luxuriously without exercise, an attendant on inflammatory fevers, and considerable evacuations, the pregnant and puerperal state. The effects of this increased irritability are spasms, convulsions, irregular secretions, and unequal temper, faintings, excessive menstruation, abortions, etc.

The torpor of the living solid is marked by a firmer, ruder texture of the simple solid, sometimes by inflexibility, as in the melancholic, occasionally by a want of elasticity, as in the phlegmatic temperament; by a slower action of the arterial system, by yielding less readily to stimuli, and by a dulness of the intellectual functions. It is the constitution of the inhabitants of higher latitudes, and has been sufficiently considered under the article of Cold, q. v. The effects of this torpor are a diminution of the excretions, with accumulations in the liver and the head, which induce many chronic diseases.

The diseases arising from the state of the brain chiefly depend on its mobility or torpor, as a portion of the nervous system; but more particularly on the free communication between its different parts. The diseases depending on the state of the nerves in their progress depend also on their degree of excitement, or the communication through them being more or less free.

We had intended in this place to have engaged at some length in the inquiry started in the article Astringentia, how far the state of the vital depended on that of the simple solid. We could, however, add little, except to repeat the facts recorded in the pathology of the vital solid; and these seem strongly to support the opinion, that firm cohesion and vigour, a more tender texture and mobility, the first with diminished, the second with increased, sensibility, are at least very closely connected. Are they ever separated, or do they depend on the same state of the solid? Future inquiries may enable us to decide.

Morbi solidorum continentium. The containing solids, or the parietes of cavities? are muscular or membranous; and their size may be, in different ways, increased. When merely dilated beyond what their elasticity or their muscular power can restore, it is styled dilatatio; when cavities, as arteries or excretory ducts, are so enlarged as to suffer the contents to pass out, anastomosis; when the fibres of cavities are separated so as to suffer fluids to escape through them, diapedesis; when ruptured, diaercsis,- if ruptured by distention, if by erosion, The effects of these changes will, be sufficiently obvious; and, indeed, we should not have introduced the subject but to explain the terms.

The diseases from contraction are obstruction when from anastomosis a denser fluid than the vessel is destined to carry passes into it, when its contents are inspissated, or when a solid substance impacts it; obsti-fiatio, when the thickened parietes, or any tumour, obstructs the vessels; compressio, when cavities are diminished or obliterated by pressure; collapsus, when the sides fall in from diminished contents; contractio, when diminished from great elasticity or spasm; and coalitus, when the sides unite, and are conglutinated.

The morbi solidorum intrumentarii are the local diseases of nosologists, and not a part of this subject.

Haller and De Haen Commentarii in Boerhaavii In-stitutiones; Ludwig and Gaubii Institutiones Pathologiae Medicinalis.

Morbus attonitus, caducus, commitialis, her-culeus, infantilis, puerilis, interlunius, magnus, sacer. See Epilepsia.

Morbus coxarius. This is properly the arthro-pyosis, but various circumstances prevented our enlarging sufficiently on it at that time, and we prefer inserting our account of it under this title, as the disease is better discriminated by it from psoas abscess, and from sciatica. De Haen, who first considered it distinctly, also employs this term.

It generally comes on almost imperceptibly. The first sensation is a dull pain, often attributed to fatigue, to a strain, or, in more advanced life, to gout. When the pain becomes so violent as to attract attention, it is described as deeply seated, but on strong pressure it is-greatly increased; the glutaei and the vastus internus are flabby; and the glutseus, losing its elasticity, obliterates the line which apparently divided it from the biceps and semitendinosus. The thigh itself is less, though the nates on the side affected are sometimes extended in breadth. In many cases the tubercle of the ischium is lower, and the leg, on the side affected, longer. In general, on walking, the toe drags a little on the ground; and the limb is raised, or extended sideways, with difficulty, though moved circularly with some ease. The pain is not considerable, except in the advanced states of the disease, but it is not confined to the joint. It sometimes extends to the knee, and is felt there with so much violence, as to lead to a suspicion that this joint is the seat of the disease. From the knee it extends to the ankle, but is felt there less acutely. The pain is sometimes on the upper part of the pectinseus, near the place where psoas abscess first appears, and then it descends on the inside of the thigh, nearly in the direction of the adductores of the triceps and vastus externus, almost in a straight line from the knee to the ankle.