786 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1804 



One evening, after a long and in- 

 tense reverie, he said, " Lady Nor- 

 thesk, an art was practised in former 

 years, which the medical world has 

 very long disused; that of inject- 

 ing blood into the veins by a syringe, 

 and thus repairing the waste of dis- 

 eases like yours. Human blood, 

 and that of calves and sheep, were 

 used promiscuously. Superstition 

 attached impiety to the practice. It 

 ■was put a stop to in England by a 

 bull of excommunication from some 

 of our popish princes, against the 

 practitioners of sanguinary injection. 

 That it had been practised with suc- 

 ces«, we may, from this interdiction, 

 fairly conclude; else restraint upon 

 its continuance must have been su- 

 perfluous. We have a very ingeni- 

 ous watch-maker here, whom I 

 think I could instruct to form a pro- 

 per instrument for the purpose, if 

 you chose to submit to the experi- 

 ment." She replied, cheerfully, 

 *' that she had not the least objec- 

 tion, if he thought it eligible." 



Miss Seward then said, " If the 

 trial should be determined upon, 

 perhaps lady Northesk would pre- 

 fer a supply from a healthy human 

 subjed, rather than from an animal. 

 My health is perfec!^^, neither am I 

 conscious of any lurking disease, 

 hereditary or accidental. I have no 

 dread of the lancet, and will gladly 

 spare, from time to time, such a por- 

 tion from my veins to lady Nor- 

 thesk, as Dr. Darwin shall think 

 proper to injc6t." 



lie seemed much pleased with the 

 proposal, and his amiable patient 

 expressed gratitude far above the 

 just claim of the circumstance. Dr. 

 Darwin said he would consult his 

 pillow upon it. 



The next day, when Miss S. called 

 wpott Lady N. the Doctor took her 



previously into his study, telling her 

 that he had resigned all thoughts of 

 trying the experinrent upon lady 

 Northesk ; that it had occurred to 

 him as a last resource, to save an ex- 

 cellent woman, whose disorder, he 

 feared, was beyond the reach of me- 

 dicine; " but,' added he, " the 

 construction of a proper maciiine is 

 so nice an affair, the least failure in 

 its power of adting so hazardous, the 

 chance at last from the experiment 

 so precarious, that I do not choose 

 to stake my reputation upon the 

 risque. If she die, the world will 

 say 1 killed lady Northesk, though 

 the London and Bath physicians have 

 pronounced her case hopeless, and 

 sent her home to expire. They 

 have given her a great deal too much 

 medicine. 1 shall give her very 

 little. Their system of nutritious 

 food, their gravy jellies, and strong 

 wines, I have already changed for 

 milk, vegetables, and fruit. No 

 wines ever ; no meat, no strong 

 broth, at present. If this alteration 

 of diet prove unavailing, her family 

 and friends must lose her.'' 



It was not unavailing; she ga- 

 thered strensrth under the change 

 from day to day. The disease abat- 

 ed, and in three weeks time she pur- 

 sued her journey to Scotland, a con- 

 valescent, full of hope for herself; 

 of grateful veneration towards her 

 physician, whose rescuing skill had 

 saved her from the grave; and full, 

 also, of overrating thankfulness to 

 Miss S. for tlie offer she had made. 

 With /iL-r, lady Northesk rcgufarly 

 corresponded from that time to her 

 sudden and deplorable deatli. AH 

 lady N's. letters spoke of complete- 

 ly recovered health and strength. 

 She sent Miss Seward a present of 

 some beautiful Scotch pebbles, for a 

 necklace, picked up by her own 



hands, 



