243 Tiventy -eighth Communication from Dr. Thornloiif 



me but faint hopes of his recovery. However, after he had 

 inhaled a moderate dose of vital air, an unusual warmth dif- 

 fused itself over his whole frame, accompanied with a con- 

 siderable degree of perspiration. He afterwards passed the 

 whole day, and the following night, without any return of 

 fits ; a circumstance which had not happened for several 

 months. The next morning he was tolerably cheerful ; his 

 hearing and vision less defective ; and his pulse more firm, 

 beating ten strokes less in a minute than the preceding day. 

 On ha^'ing again recourse to the vital air, it revived him as 

 before, and the second day passed without a fit : but he 

 found a disposition to fulness in his head, and such a ten- 

 dency to falling down during that day, that it would have 

 taken place, had not his own exertions prevented it. The 

 third morning, before he came to my house, he was attacked 

 with a very slight fit. Finding in him this tendency to local 

 fulness in the head, I ordered cupping, and au opening me- 

 dicine. By paying due attention to the fulness in the head, 

 and keeping the bowels properly open, the pulse became re- 

 gular ; while the active effects of the vital air so invigorated 

 his constitution, tha}; he not only lost his fits, but in six 

 weeks gradually regained his vision and hearing, and was 

 able to walk six or seven miles a day, without fatigue, or 

 any inconvenience whatever. Some sultry weather coming 

 on in the month of May, he became nervous; had the head- 

 ach, and some slight degree of fever, after a fatiguing walk 

 to Hampstead ; and for the second time only experienced 

 a trifling relapse. I now directed him to be bled with leeches 

 on the temples, and to take the usual dose of opening me- 

 dicine; after which, as soon as the fever had subsided, he 

 was to have recourse to the bark and vital air, at diflerent 

 intervals, until the middle of July. He then became per- 

 fectly well in health, strength, and spirits; and m Decem- 

 ber 1 797 his father engaged him as clerk to Messrs. Hop- 

 kins and Lincoln, in Barbican, where he now resides ; and, 

 not having had any return whatever of his former com- 

 plaints, he is fully enabled to keep such accounts as require 

 a mind perfectly free from every degree of oppression or ir- 

 ritation. 



" Tq 



