538 Totnes, zn 
did not draw the attention of any of the 
faculty until she had lived fourteen months 
without food; when several surgeons 
wished to have hier removed to a neigh- 
bour’s house to be watched, which she 
without hesitation consented to, that 
they might be satisfied of her real case. 
After this change, proper persgns were 
appointed to watch her day and night; 
besides, three surgeons regularly visired 
her two or three times a day, during 
which time she did not even drink the 
smallest quantity of water. Washing hef 
mouth with water was, and is, the only 
thing she coatinues to do, She voids 
about four ounces of urme every six days, 
but has no other evacuation whatever, 
nor has she had any these six months, 
which leaves us no doubt to believe that 
she must live by absorption, as the 
greater part of all her muscles and soft 
parts are already removed by that pro- 
cess; though it is a known law of na- 
ture, that when one class of absorbent 
vessels (the lacteals) are deprived, by ac- 
cident or disease, of their regular sup- 
plies of chyle, which is a milky produc- 
tion from the food, the other class (lym- 
phatigs), which are distributed all over 
the body, is called into action, to pemové 
and convert (by means of their glands) 
such ~a quantity ef the soit parts of 
the body as is required to supply and 
eep up the regular quantity of blood in 
the system, This theory is admitted to 
be established on sucha scientific basis, by 
the late Mr. Hunter, that to deny its truth 
and validity, would betray a total iznorance 
of the structure and economy of the hu- 
‘man frame. Then, according to this prins 
ciple, why should not any other person 
live for the same length of time, upon 
being deprived of food, remains a ques- 
tion to be explained by the enlightened 
part of the profession; and it is hoped 
they will not think it unworthy of their 
attention to endeavour, by their joint 
labours, to develope this mysterious case, 
which 1 doubt not at present puzzles men 
the most Jearned toa account for its ex- 
traordinary singularity. 1 sert:ple not to 
subserihe myself, 
Lumeerth, 
Now. 28, 1808. 
Your's, &e. 
Wa... Rozinson, V.S. 
pan Bee 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
sir, 
AM one of those who have regularly 
read your valuable publication from 
its commencement, and | have been so 
fortunate as occasionally to trausinit to 
Devonshire. Jase. ; 
you what has been thought worthy to ap- 
pear in its pages; and if you think these 
few observations deserving the same dis- 
tinction, you will oblige me by inserting 
. them. 
I have always perused with pleasure 
the articles I have occasionally met with, 
giving an account of towns, the state of 
society, manners, &c. and I have regret- 
ted that of late, these communications 
were less frequent than formerly; and 
therefore it was with more than a com- 
mon degree of satisfaction, that in your 
number pnblished the first of the present 
month, 1 found im the list of contents an 
article, ‘On the history and present 
state of Totnes, in Devonshire.” <A few 
years ago, a very dear friend, now, alas ! 
numbered with the dead, caused to be 
sent to your Magazine, (vol. xii. p.194) 
some observations respecting the neigh- 
bouring town of Dartmouth, In that spe~ 
cimen of easy and elegant composition, 
so perfectly descriptive, I always fancy 
{ can,in my closet, traverse the town, and 
accompany my departed friend along the 
beautiful and interesting banks of the 
Dart. ‘Totnes, a town highly favoured 
indeed in point of situation, and sur- 
rounded hy the inexpressible beauties of- 
which nature is sometimes very bountiful, 
is the place of my birth, and, if I may 
judge by the name of your correspondent 
whosends you the account of it, it is the 
place of his birth also. For a thousand 
reasons, therefore, he is more competent 
to describe the beauties than Iam; but 
if he and you will allow me, I willmake a 
few remarks on the information he has 
furnished ; and ask a few questions re- 
Specting circumstances he has not no- 
uiced. My only object is, to induce your 
correspondent in his future promised 
communications, to be a little more mi- 
nute, and to correct any trifling inaccu- 
racy into which, accidentally, be may . 
have fallen. 
The more important object of such 
descriptive accounts, evidently is, to con~ 
vey to the minds of strangers and those 
residing at a distance, a correct idea of 
the. place; of interesting circumstances 
connected with it; of eminent persons to 
whom it-may have given birth; and in 
general such information as naturally 
arises therefrom. In these essential 
points, I conceive your correspondent 
has not well succeeded. 
I have heard it said, that this town of 
Totnes is remarkable*for the hberality 
with which its former inhabitants, or 
- others, 
x 
