Southern telegraph., 1836-07-15
original Communication.
REMARKS ON FEVER,
BF WNI. G. WILLIAMS M. ID.
Of Rodney, Mississippi.
GCoNCLUDED,

Of Rodney, Mississippi.
(CONCLUDED.
In his Analysis, the doctor also remarks
"Every phenomenon which bears upon tht
subject shows that fever arises immediatel,
from congestion, produced by PEisnaT,
lolela dsa I.ll ian. aat eeilgesslon =
.necsssariIyTa local 0ltecfion In note
on the same page, he adds, "according tt
the part in which the congestion is situated
is the character of the disease which it pro-
duces. In those febrile complaints that
have been usually denominated Idiopathic,
viz: Bilious fever, in all its varieties, yell
low fever, pests rerG, typhus fever and
Sc0rlGtinG, the congestion exists in the por-
tai circle, generally, its more immediate
seat being the mucous lining Of the stomach.
In pneumonia febrle affections, it is seated
in some part of the Mdrdcic riScera, the
plcurG, substance of the lungs,o ,or SchneideriGn
membrane, which lines them. If asked in
what way the original deleterious impress
sion produces congestion, my answer would
he, that, in addition to its generating NOR
bid irritation, 1t so far debiitates the ves-
sells Of the part aohere 1t is made, that they
are unable to act with sufficient vigor to
force the blood Onward in its course Of cir
culaton as rapidly as it vs. thrown into them.
Hence it must necessarily accumulate"
That in pleurisy, the local congestion in
the pleurG gives character to the disease, is
evident. But how the original .deieterious
impression produces congestion, 10y acting
loeaIIy on the pIeurG, where the congestion
exists, / cannot conceive. This ! shall mot
attempt to explain at present, but only add
that the character of the disease depends
on the condition of the individual, the cause,
and the circumstances under which The
cause acts. Whatever be the locality Of
the primary deleterious impression, one
iqing is evident, it must act on the nerves
Of the part, this being the only channel
through which any impress,on can be cor
veyed. The peculiar sensations Of which
patients complain at the onset Of the disease,
show that the brain and nervous system
bear the first impressions Of the remote
cause. DR. Caldwell, in his analysis, also
observes, that, " in this civil war Of the sys-
TEN, (alluding to lfe cold stage'df fever) the
capillaries, by contraction, throw the blood
from the circumference and extremities of
the body towards the centre, whilst the
heart Iabors, at first in vain, to PROJECT it
| ack again. The Doctor appears to attrl-
Lutte the whole accumulation to the power
ful contraction of the capilarles, which
overcome the action Of The heart; for, he
saws, the heart labors, at first in vain, to-
project it back again. Now we know that,
in many cases of congestion, stimulants,
such as brandy, opium, &c. Telieveit. How
Is this dnnef Does il effect Il by partially
paIaIyzingshe aCtionof the capilIariesG No.
Il must act upon the nervous system and
brain, causing an increased amount Of ner-
vOus influence to be furnished the heart,
which enables it to overcome the action Of
the capilIaries I and removes the accumu-
lated i;uid. Ii the heart did moi lack this
~ term this ainhuence," as its character Is
a matter Of dispute.
II have no doubt but that the capillaries
have m action independent Of that ofthe heart,
but do not believe they possess. power 81 them
s.i,es Sufficient TO overcome the action Of tbe
a....rs ul.Iess the power of resistance possessed
i, tl,at organ be primarily weakened.