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XX. Twenty 'first Coynmimication from Dr. Thoiinto5Jj 

 relative to Pneumatic Medicine. 



March 15, 1K05. 

 No. I, Hinde Street, Maiiclititer Square. 



To Mr. TiUocli. 



Dl'AR SIR, 



J. HAVE the honour to inclose you the foflowing remarka- 

 ble, case cured by the uilialation of vital air. 



A Deviation from the common Course of Nature. 



Mary Tame, a;t. IH, residing al No. 17, East-street, 

 when fourteen years of age, instead of being regular in th'^ 

 usual way, had a copious discharge of blood from both 

 breasts. These discharges, for nearly the space of two 

 years after, came on regularly once a fortnight, or three 

 weeks, attended with violent pains in the back and loins, 

 mid continued the regular period of three days. The quan- 

 tity of blood so discharged was about the same as under the 

 usual circumstances. It distilled gradually from the nip- 

 ples as milk from an overloaded breast, but without pain. 

 At this period the face appeared turgid with blood. I wit- 

 nessed mvself this discharge of blood from the breasts, and 

 have no doubt of the reality of so extraordinary a phasno- 

 inenon. Havin;^ first invited the blood from the superior 

 Jo the inferior parts by aloetlc cathartics, I next ordered the 

 inhalation of vital air with tonics ; and this pha?nonK-non 

 has not again occurred, it is now four months. 



Olservations on this Case ly Dr. Thor?iton. 



1. Each part of the body obeys its adapted slimulu? 

 learned from e.Nperience. Thus the eye is stinuilaled bv light, 

 tiic ear bv sound, the stomach by food ; and the most dif- 

 fusible stimulus is the oxygen in the arterial blood. Thu«, 

 if the liquid in the bladder escape into the cavity of the 

 abdomen, it excites the highe&t derangement, although a 

 proper stinnilus to that reservoir. Thus, if water, or even 

 milk, be injected into the veins in a small portion, accord- 

 iiiiT to the quantity, is the derangement of the frame; and if 

 jalap or emet c tartar be injected into the circulation, each 

 will be determined to the respective organs, as though they 

 had been received into the stomach and bowels. Thus it 

 is, that rhubarb and aloes stimulate the lower parts of the 

 intestinal tube, especially the rectum, inviting the blood to 

 lh»' aorta deiccndens. 



e. The 



