fr 



Sup. I. 13. THEORY OF FEVER. 49 t* 



t 



er delirious ; pulfe 1 12. Takes only capillaire and water ; fleeps 

 much. 



Twentieth day. Pulfe 100, Ikin dry but lei's hot, liquid (tools 

 not fo frequent, he is emaciated to a great degree, he has eaten 

 half a tea-cup full of cuftard to day, drinks only capillaire and 

 water, has thrice taken two large fpoonfuls of decodtion of bark 

 with three drops of laudanum, refufes to have his legs bathed, 

 and will now take nothing but three drops of laudanum twice a 

 day. 



Twenty-fourth day. He has gradually taken more cuftard 

 every day, and began to attend to fome new playthings, and takes 

 wine fyllabub. 



Twenty-eighth day. He daily grows ftronger, eats eggs, 

 and bread and butter, and fleeps immediately after his food, can 

 creep on his hands and knees, but cannot (land erecl:. 



Thirty-fecond day. He cannot yet ftand alone fafely, but 

 feems hourly to improve in ftrength of body, and activity of 

 mind. 



In this cafe the remote caufe of his fever could not be well 

 ascertained, as it might be from having his feet coid for many 

 fucceflive days, or from contagion j but the latter ieems more 

 probable, becaufe his younger brother became ill of a fimilar fe- 

 ver about three weeks afterwards, and probably received the in- 

 fection from him. The difeafe commenced with great torpor 

 of the ftomach, which was (hewn by hia' total averfion to folid 

 food, and perpetual ficknefs ; the wate^ ilools, which were 

 fometimes green, or of a darkifti yellow, were owing to the ac- 

 rimony, or acidity of the contents of the bowels ; which as well 

 as the flatulency were occafioned by indigeftion. This torpor 

 of the (lomach continued throughout the whole fever, and when 

 it ceafed, the fever ceafed along with it. 



The contagious material of this fever I fuppofe to have been 

 mixed with the faliva, and fwallowed into the ftomach ; that 

 it excited the veflels, which conftitute the ftomach, into the 

 greateft irritative motion like arfenic ; which might not be per-, 

 • ceived, and yet might render that organ paralytic or inirritable in a 

 moment of time ; as animals fometimes die by one fingle exertion, 

 and confequent paralyfis, without a iecond ftruggle ; as by 

 lightning, or being (hot through the back part of the brain; of 

 both which I have feen inftances. I had once an opportunity 

 of mfpecting two oxen, a few minutes after they were killed by 

 lightning under a crab-tree on moift ground in long grafs ; and 

 obferved, that they could not have itruggled, as the grafs was 

 not prefled or bent near them ; I have alio feen twohorfesfhot 

 Through the cerebellum, who n ever or.ee drew in their legs after 



they 



