Black Vomit. — Tetanus cured by the Cold Bath. 381 



miting, and exhibited a fet of experiments on the matter of 

 black vomit itfelf : to which he has added, experiments to 

 afcertain the effects of black vomit on the living fyftem of 

 man and other animals, and a fynopfis of the opinions of 

 authors concerning its formation and qualities. The expe- 

 riments (bow that this Angular morbid excretion contains an 

 acid, which is neither carbonic, phofphoric, nor fulphuric ; 

 and, what our readers will hardly expect, that the black 

 vomit may be fmelled, tailed, and fwallowed, without in- 

 ducing yellow fever, or even any ficknefs at all : fo little in- 

 fection or contagion does it feenr to contain ! He concludes 

 it to be an altered fecretion from the liver. 



TETANUS CURED BY THE COLD BATH : 

 Communicated In a Letter to Dr. R. H. Archer, of Balti- 

 more, by Dr. William Harris, of Pennjylvania*. 



In the autumn of 1799, t vifited a labourer, about thirty 

 years of age, of a (lender make, but healthy, who was fuddenly 

 feized, whilft in bed, with fpafms in his lower extremities, 

 which (hortly after afte&ed his whole fyftem, but particularly 

 his ftomach, which was drawn in a hard lump, and protruded 

 to a confiderable diftance. His pains were excruciating. He 

 had a violent vomiting and purging, which came on an hour 

 after feizure, and continued about two hours. At one time 

 he had emprofthotonos, at another opidhotonos, to the 

 greateft degree, and fometirnes complete tetanus. The 

 mufcles of his face were drawn in every direction, and de- 

 glutition entirely impeded. His pulfe varied much, but was 

 generally feeble. He could affign no caufe for the attack. 

 I bled him, put him in the warm bath, and ufed all the re- 

 medies laid down by medical writers, but without any mi- 

 tigation of his painSj or relief to his fpafms. 



At this time', which was twenty hours after the attack, 

 when the cold fweat of death appeared to be upon him, his 

 tongue had refufed its office, his eyes funk, having a glafly 

 appearance, and his exit was every moment expected, it oc- 

 curred to me that the cold bath might have a good effeel:; 

 and, after confulting his friends, who readily acquiefced, I 



• Medical Ripofiiorv, vol. iv. p. 76. 



Vol. VIII. 3 D had 



