ABSTRACT
§ I. Having, I hope, solidly and justly establiihed the Causes and Principles, on which the Differences between Nervous and humorous or inflammatory Disorders (as they are called) are founded, it will be no difficult Matter to apply this general Doctrine to particular Distempers, to shew wherein their true and effential Nature and Difference confifts, and thereby the Solid Intention to be followed in their particular Cure. For the only real Difference lies in the Firmness or Laxity of the Solids; to wit, that these Distempers are or ought to be called Nervous only, when they are attended with a loose and relaxed State of the Fibres, which is chiesly manisested by some few or more of those Symptoms I have assigned to Spleen and Vapours. And on the contrary, that they are or ought to be deemed humorous, hot, or inslammatory, when the Solids are as yet tense and firm, the Symptoms high, and the State of the Blood inslammatory; for tho’ in both Cases, the great differential Marks of the Distemper will appear, yet the Symptoms will be higher and more acute, or weaker and flower, and will be attended with some other Appearances, consequent upon the Strength or Wcakness of the Constitution, tho'in both of them, the same Materials should be thrown in, to produce the Discase, which shews the true Foundation of the Distinction between the Strictum and Laxum, or the strait and loose of the antient Methodists, and between the hot and cold Diseases among the Moderns.
