A dissertation, on the causes and effects of spasm in fevers / pronounced by Mr. Nathan Smith, before the president, medical professors, and governors of Harvard University, at Cambridge, July 5th, 1790.

  • Smith, Nathan, 1762-1829.
Date:
[1791]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A dissertation, on the causes and effects of spasm in fevers / pronounced by Mr. Nathan Smith, before the president, medical professors, and governors of Harvard University, at Cambridge, July 5th, 1790. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    7/12
    in life ; or from their vaft pofief- fions. View ingratitude as the bafed of crimes, and of courfe the drongeft mark of a vicious character ; being af» fured, that in the bread where it reigns, no amiable quality ever did, or could dwell. Examine well the company you keep ; for not only their manners, but their principles, will foon become yours. Give no ear to (lander, becaufe when once your underdanding admits the baneful pot- ion, your tongue will infenfibly learn to difleminate it. Seeing mankind for the mod part are too little difpoled to candour and to compalllon, conceal your domedick or private misfortunes ; for your dif- c'oling them even to a fuppofed friend, may only fcrwe to unveil their flimfy pretences ; your very woes they may iniult ; knowing where you are eui- bai-raffed, they may increafe your era. barrafTments ; and maliciouflv or wantonly enlarge the wound, of which you have too eafily apprifed them. Whatever be the ufa^e you receive from others, never let hatred fettle in your heart ; avoid odentation, with every mean pleafure, and let temper- ance prelide over your every meal. Shun an inquifitive perfon $ keep much at home ; and prudently divide your time between aclion and contem- plation. to the EDITORS of the MASSACHUSETTS MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN, I HAVE long wiflied that your medical department might coniift of Amer- ican papers. To accomplish this defire, I forward Dr. ^Smith's DifTertation, delivered at a late publick examination, Harvard Univerfity, for the degree of Bachelor in Phyfick. A. Z. A DISSERTATION) on the CAUSES and EFFECTS of SPASM in FEVERS ; pronounced by Mr. Nathan Smith, before the Prefident, MedicalProfefors, and Governors of Harvard Univerfity, at Cambridge, July $th, i 790 j and ded- icated to the Rev. J. Jfillard, S. T. D. Praf. * I ''HAT there is a irricture of the circumdances. r. The quantity of extreme vefTels fituated on the furface of the body in the beginning of every febrile diforder, I Shall take ior granted. And in this differtation Shall endeavour to explain its caufes and effects. In order to do this, it will be necefTary firfl to take notice of fome of the laws of the animal econ- omy, on rthich it feems to depend. I. The fibres of all the foft parts of animals, while in health, are endu- ed with a certain eladick force : con- tinually endeavouring to contract them into lefs dimensions. The weight of the atmofphere may be confidered as a ccadjutant power to the natural contractility of the fibres. II. Other powers counteract the eladick force of the fibres, and keep them in a certain degree of distention. The didending power of ihe vafcu- lar fyflem (the part chiefly affected by fpafm in fevers) is the fluid contain- ed in it. The application of this to the extreme veflels depends on two V*\. III. Jan. 1791. E the fluid. 2. Its momentum. This lad depends on the action of the heart and arteries. III. If, as we believe, thefe two op- posing powers balance each other to a certain degree in a healthy date ; it is evident that in proportion as the dif- tending power is diminished ; the contraction of the vclfcls will prevail, and vice verfa. From thefe known properties of the animal economy, the caufes and ef- fects of fpafm in fevers may be ex- plained, and on this wife. The remote caufes of fevers being debilitating powers, when applied to the animal fydem, diminifh the ener- gy of the brain, and action of the heart and arteries, which depend on it. If the aclion of the heart and arteries be diminifhed, the blood will be propel- led with lefs force into the extreme vefTels on the furface of the body : and confequently in proportion to the di- minution of the momentum of the blood, will the cootradtility of the fibres,