[p. 262]
loss of speech and of breathing, and a speedy death. This is
what we call Peripneumonia, being an inflammation of the
lungs, with acute fever, when they are attended with heaviness
of the chest, freedom from pain, provided the lungs alone are
inflamed; for they are naturally insensible, being of loose
texture, like wool. But branches of the aspera arteria are
spread through them, of a cartilaginous nature, and these,
also, are insensible; muscles there are nowhere, and the nerves
are small, slender, and minister to motion. This is the cause
of the insensibility to pain. But if any of the membranes, by
which it is connected with the chest, be inflamed, pain also is
present; respiration bad, and hot; they wish to get up into an
erect posture, as being the easiest of all postures for the respiration.
Ruddy in countenance, but especially the cheeks; the
white of the eyes very bright and fatty; the point of the nose
flat; the veins in the temples and neck distended; loss of appetite;
pulse, at first, large, empty, very frequent, as if forcibly
accelerated; heat indeed, externally, feeble, and more humid
than natural, but, internally, dry, and very hot, by means of
which the breath is hot; there is thirst, dryness of the tongue,
desire of cold air, aberration of mind; cough mostly dry, but
if anything be brought up it is a frothy phlegm, or slightly
tinged with bile, or with a very florid tinge of blood. The
blood-stained is of all others the worst.
But if the disease tend to a fatal termination, there is insomnolency;
sleep brief, heavy, of a comatose nature; vain
fancies; they are in a doting state of mind, but not violently
delirious; they have no knowledge of their present sufferings.
If you interrogate them respecting the disease, they will not
acknowledge any formidable symptom; the extremities cold;
the nails livid, and curved; the pulse small, very frequent, and
failing, in which case death is near at hand, for they die
mostly on the seventh day.
But if the disease abate and take a favourable turn, there is
