There are two, and only two, primary classes of disease--those in which
the electro-vital force is abnormally _positive_, and those where it is
preternaturally _negative_. The former class comprises every variety and
phase of hypersthenia, and the latter, every sort and degree of
anaesthesia, or rather, of azooedynamia. _Inflammation_ may be taken as a
general representative of the positive or hypersthenic class--those
forms of disease in which there is too much electro-vitality, or in
which the vital force may be said to be too active. _Paralysis_ may
stand as a general representative of the negative or azooedynamic
class--those in which the vital action is too low or weak.