392 
result of this investigation, which 
sufficiently establishes the truth of 
the facts, we shall here give in Mr. 
Maxwell's own words. 
Extract of a Letter from Mr. Geo. 
Maxwell to Dr. Simmons, dated 
Fletton Lodge, near Peterbo- 
rough, December 18, 1791. 
“With respect to the water- 
drinker, whois the subject of your 
inquiry, and who lives at Stanground, 
near Woodstone, though he works 
at the latter place, it happens that 
Mr. Beal, the person who now looks 
after my farm, employed him as a 
thrasher more than twenty years 
ago. His account of this man is, 
that he always drank the quantity 
he is now said to do, or at least was 
at that time reputed to drink it. 
“As he resided three or four 
miles from Mr, Beale’s habitation, 
the latter used to inake up a bed for 
him in his house; and Mr. Beal 
observed that at night he always 
took a bucketful of water up stairs 
with him. 
«°T have a labourer likewise who 
has worked with him, and who says 
that, in mowing-time, this man al- 
ways takes four quarts of water out 
with him from a pump in the village, 
besides two quarts of beer. 
‘« These accounts being si:ffici- 
ently satisfactory as to his not being 
an impostor, I have sent for him, 
and put to bim your queries; which 
I shall here set down, together with 
his answers to each :— 
Q. Ist. ‘* His name, age, occupa- 
tion, habit of body, and general state 
of health? 
A. “ William Read; in the fifty- 
first year of his age; a labourer ; 
never costive; geverally in good 
health. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1792. 
Q. 2d. “* Whether his thirst is 
natuial, or a consequence of disease, 
and if so, at what period of life it 
first shewed itselt ? 
A. ** Not natural, but came on 
after an ague and fever, which con- 
fined him a whole winter, twenty- 
four years ago. 
Q. 3d. ‘ Whether his thirst is 
constant and uniform, the same ir 
summer as in winter, or only occa- 
sional, and varying in degree ? 
A. * Always the same, when he 
is well. 
Q. 4th, “ Whether he drinks any 
other Jiquor besides water ? 
A. ‘ Has no objection to other 
liquors, but can seldom get any. 
Q. 5th. “How much does he 
usually take at a draught, and how 
often does he repeat it ? 
A. “ A quart ata time, and re- 
peats it sixteen or eighteen times in 
the course of a day and night. 
Q. 6th. * Whether his thirst is 
diminished or increased, when his 
general healih happens to be af- 
fected ? 
A. “ When his health happens 
to be affected he drinks but litle ; 
nothing like sc much as the usual 
quantity. 
Q. 7th. * What is the state of his 
tongue and fauces with respect to 
dryness, moisture? &c. 
A. ‘* No appearance of dryness. 
Q. 8th. ‘* What quantity of urine 
does he void ? and what is the state 
of it ? 
A, “He makes water almost 
every time he drinks and as much 
upon the whole as be drinks. He 
knows nothing of the state of it. 
Q. 9th. “ Does he perspire much 
or little? yor 
A. “ Very much when he works, 
but not at all in the night. 
Q. 10th. 
