When the hallucinations of the insane are purely intellectual, and wholly and intensely occupy the attention, the generation of animal heat appears less than usual; and decidedly less than in those cases where the aberrations of the mind are connected with the stimulus of selfish and exciting passions,—hence the system is cold. But this arises rather from defective quantity of heat, than from any irregularity in its distribution; and thus, while the mind, from its state of abstraction, either disregards, or is wholly unconscious of exposure to the cold, the body is very sensibly and strongly affected by it. In the last stages of gradual decay of mind, the changes and disturbances in the quantity, state, and diffusion of heat, resemble that observable in paralytics; there is great insensibility to heat and cold, and the infliction of pain; and, previous to the period of their dissolution, the slightest pressure, even so slight as to give no pain, produces ulcerations, which rapidly degenerate into gangrenous ulcers.—In old torpid cases of neglect—cases of suspension of mind; and in cases of pure mental abstraction, it is deficient in quantity, although equable in its diffusion. In all these cases, as well as in cases of over activity of mind, especially during violent paroxysms, there is a general loss, or want, of consciousness to the usual impression of the corporeal system. Sometimes, however, this consciousness is on some points morbidly acute, indicated by strange sounds, and sights, desires, or aversions, &c., according to the parts or organs affected. In fact, it is this undue concentration of energy, which abstracts or confuses, rather than destroys the proper diffusion of consciousness.