[ 9 ] 



without the befl; efFedls, Whether it operates by promoting a 

 flow of bile and other fecreted fluids into the inteftinal canal, 

 on which the flools of infants, from the nature of their food, 

 muft very much depend ; or by exciting, in a peculiar manner, 

 the irritability of the nerves beftowed on the intefliines, I fliall 

 not pretend to decide. 



Of Convtilfions in early Infancy. 



In the Tranfadions of this Academy for the year 1789 I 

 have given an account of the nine day fits, as they had been 

 obferved in the Lying-iji Hofpital of this city, and of certain 

 modes of prevention which then appeared to have produced 

 good efFedts, and which I am happy to add flill continue to do 

 fo*. Of methods of cure I was on that occafion filent, becaufe 

 no remedy had then been difcovered even to retard the pro- 

 grefs of that very fatal difeafe. Abotit two years ago I was 

 called in confultation to a cafe of nine day fits, which appeared 

 hopelefs both to the attending phyfician and myfelf. As an 

 experiment I propofed a grain of calomel to be given night 

 and morning, knowing it to be well calculated to remove diC- 



Vol. VI. B eafe 



* This aflertion will be bed underftood by ftating the following fa£ls : Previous 

 to the year 1782 the mortality of infants was one in fix, or feventeen in the hun- 

 dred. From 1782 'till 1788, a period of four years, it was one in nineteen, or from 

 five to fix in the hundred. During the Infl four years it has been nearly as one to 

 twenty-fix and a half, not altogether four in the hundred. [See an abftr^ of the 

 regiftry kept in the Lying-iu Hofpital, and annually publiflied by Mr. B. Higgins.] 



