Class II. i. 6. 16. OF SENSATION. 259 



with air, about the 36th day from the commencement of the 

 fever, alum given in dofes of about feven grains every three 

 hours, feemed of uncommon fervice, as the tumour of the abdo- 

 men much fubfided in one day, and the patient immediately be- 

 came able to fleep two or three hours at a time *, but the event 

 of the difeafe was fatal. 



In this fituation I fuppofe the fever to have been kept up by 

 the abforption of a putrid material in the abdomen, on the 

 outfide of the inteftines ; and as alum inftantaneoufly deftroys 

 the volatile alkali which occafions a part of the fmell, and per- 

 haps the whole of the gas of putrid matter j which alkali pre.- 

 cipitates the argillaceous earth from the vitriolic acid ; I fup- 

 pofe this effect would be produced by alum, though it might 

 not be produced by vitriolic acid, as the latter would unite with 

 the contents of the ftomach ; but the alum would not unite 

 with any thing, till it became expofed to exhalations of putrid 

 matter. See Clafs II. 1. 3. 1. Might not a puncture by a lan- 

 cet into the tumid abdomen, through the fear of the navel, be 

 of ufe, when it is much diftended with air ? 



The want of fleep was owing to debility, and ceafed when 

 that became leffened. As fome motions of the hands were the 

 confequence of her delirious ideas, thefe became tremulous, like 

 the hands of very old men, or drunkards, from debility whenev- 

 er they were exerted. 



A very interefting account of the puerperal fever, which was 

 epidemic at Aberdeen, has been lately published by Dr. Alexan- 

 der Gordon. (Robinfons, London.) In feveral directions of 

 thofe who died of this difeafe, purulent matter was found in the 

 cavity of the abdomen ; which he afcribes to an eryfipelatous 

 inflammation of the peritonaeum, as its principal feat, and of its 

 productions, as the omentum, mefentery, and peritoneal coat 

 of the inteftines. 



He believes, that it was infectious, and that the contagion 

 was always carried by the accoucheur, or the nurfe^from one ly- 

 ing-in woman to another. 



The difeafe began with violent unremitting pain of the abdo- 

 men on the day of delivery, or the next day, with fhuddering, 

 and very quick pulfe, often 140 in a minute. In this fituation, 

 if he faw the patient within 12 or 24 hours of her feizure, he 

 took away from 16 to 24 ounces of blood, which was always 

 fizy. He then immediately gave a cathartic, confiding of three 

 grains of calomel, and forty grains of powder of jalap. After 

 this had operated, he gave an opiate at night ; and continued 

 the purging and the opiate for feveral days. 



He afTerts, that almoft all thofe, whom he was permitted to 



treat 



