DBook II PESTILENT FEVERS 93

The fact that in the early stages these fevers seem to be moder—
ate, ought not to seem surprising, because as a whole class and
in their whole course they are nearly always mild. / Some
authorities explain as follows the fact that neither can we per—
ceive by touch that there is fever heat nor can the patient him—
self perceive it: we cannot, they say, because this fever is ex—
ternally tranquil, though it ravages the patient internally; and
the patient himself does not perceive it because he is suffering
from a hectic fever, on which point I have said enough above.
But in accordance with the principles that I have stated, I
believe that the reason is that the putrefaction present is very
deep—seated, and all its acuteness is much blunted and weaken—
ed, while at the same time there is much evaporation of the
moisture and great viscosity has been produced. But in fevers
that have a dry consistency, such as those due to bile, acute
heat is felt, the organs are as though on fire, the patient is harass—
ed by thirst, the tongue becomes dry, because what evaporates
is fiery and dry. For this reason it does not cause contagion,
for there is no agglutination, though there is great activity.
There is perhaps also another contributory cause why the
plague—stricken do not feel feverish, namely that their senses
are very much blunted, overspread as they are by putrefaction
so great that their energies are not only dissipated in it, but
cannot even be transmitted to the organs of sense. Again,
others say that the reason why the pulse is low and infrequent,
is that the plague—stricken have hectic fever, and that is why
they have no sensation of unusual heat, and hence do not need
new ventilation; and so the pulse is not so very different from
what it is when they are in health.

I, however, may be permitted to assign another cause, and
would first point out that nature always chooses the more help—
ful, or at least the less harmful way, as I have set forth in my
treatise on sympathies.'* So, just as when we encounter a
very bad smell, it is arranged by nature that we can hardly
breathe, hardly draw breath through the nostrils, as though
there were thus less opening for the abominable smell to reach
us, so likewise, when there is a great and abominable putre—
faction or exhalation making its way towards the heart, nature
barely ventures to dilate the heart itself or to lift the veins, lest
a way be opened for that putrefaction; hence nature allows the
pulse to beat only so much as suffices to maintain life and to