5d4 Ofi tkc Cure of malignant and epidemical Fevers^ 



balls, with a short line and small weight, were kept for 

 emergencies;, as thcv might be thrown to a great distance; 

 and ii" nnc should be caught by the sufferer, it would be 

 fully ,<unicient to support him till more effectual assistance 

 could bo obtained. 



Qimrc — Have the Humane Society at their receiving- 

 houses any marine spencers ? which appear to be better 

 adapted for the purpose we have been speaking of, than 

 cork jackets. 



LXIV. Letter frnm Mr. William Reid, Merchant, in 

 Peterhead, in S'nflond, reffjecling a Mode of' curing ma- 

 iignaiii a/id epidemical Ferers. 



B, 



SfR, 



►v advice of Mr. .lames Arbuthnot, in consequence at 

 your answer to my former letter, I shall detail the lirst dis- 

 covery I made of this new remedy. 



About t\\'cnty-seven vears ago, a fever, called epidemical, 

 'vras; brought into the family by one of my brothers,of which 

 lie died. I found I had contracted the fever — so much, 

 ihat the veins and arteries of my thighs and legs moved 

 ■with violent motion, as do the strings of a harpsichord; 

 which made me verv sick, and almost caused me to faint. 

 In farm-houses in the country they have a custom of melt- 

 ing tallow with red-hot tongs to make candles. At the 

 time above lucntioncd they were going on with the proces^s; 

 atrd the, house being small, the smoke reached my bed. I 

 iound the smell of the burning taliow so grateful to my 

 senses, that it entirely put a stop to the convulsed state of 

 my veins, and took away the sickness. When the process 

 s-eased, T found the complaint returned, though not so vio- 

 lenif. I tlien rose from my bed, and repeated the process 

 several times until I found no returns for that night and 

 next dav, and the next day I was able to go some distance 

 fw r.ecess.iries for the sick. It would be loo tedious to re- 

 peat alt the trials I made ; suffice it to say, I never had a 

 j^tskd lever in my life. I find that something of this kind 

 W3H used in early aces. If these observations should meet 

 >uh your approbation, other particulars shall be sent. 

 I am, with the greatest respect. 

 Your most obedient humble servant, 

 William Reid. 



LXV. Ao- 



