relative to Pneumatic Medicine. 235 



asthma, attended at intervals with violent fits which lasted 

 from four to five days, during which time I could not he 

 down in my bed, nor obtain any rest, being in the greatest 

 agony, supposing every breath to be my last, and often 

 wishing it to be so. These fits came on about once a fort- 

 night, and oftener if I did not take the greatest care. My 

 father consulted a great number of medical gentlemen, as 

 doctors Lyde, Jones, Exton, Wainright, Sec. (in the neigh- 

 bourhood where I was born) of great repute, who lived in 

 the Hay, Breconshire, and in Hereford and Monmouth; 

 but I was given up by them all, as incurable. After this I had 

 recourse to various patent medicines, but all to no purpose. 

 A relation residing in London advised me to come to town, 

 where I should certainly get some relief. I resolved to come, 

 bad as I was, and resided at his house, when his physician 

 attended me, and to my great grief told me, the grave would 

 shortly be my portion, if I did not immediately return mto 

 •he country. Distressing now was my situation, having 

 had the asthma on me fifteen years, being 27 years of age, 

 and three years in London ; when fortunately for me I tried 

 the vital air, under Dr. Thornton, who ordered me to in- 

 hale daily one gallon of vital air diluted, aided by other 

 usual medicines, and in a few days I found myself greatly re- 

 lieved; and in a few weeks quite well. 1 have been free 

 from asthma upwards of two years." 



Observations. 



1. The dose of vital air employed was a gallon a day, di- 

 luted with atmospheric air four times that quantity. 



2. The medicines were of the tonic kind, as mentioned 

 often in the relation of other cases. . 



3. As the learned Dr. Pitcairn, whose liberality is well 

 known, asked me when I was under examination before the 

 Royal London College of Physicians, the proportion of vital 

 air in the blood under certain morbid conditions, is it not 

 certain, that the atrial practice begins to make some im- 

 pression on veterans of our profession, so much more liberal 

 are the faculty noiv, than in the dai/s of Harvey? 



4. After so many physicians were baffled in their at- 



tempts 



