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XVII. A remarkable Cafe of internal Pain in the Heel, and 

 an incipient Mortification, cured hy the Inhalation of Vital 

 Air: being the Third Communication from Dr. Thorn- 

 ton, Phyfician to the General Difpenfary^ and Lcclurer 

 on Medical Botany e,t Guy's Hafpital, relative to Pneu- 

 matic Medicine. 



JVlRS. Frith, aet. 45, wife of the Rev. William Frith, 

 rector of Kentifh Town, for nearly four years experienced 

 the mod violent pain in the neighbourhood of the heel, 

 which (he could compare to nothing but the burning of a 

 cauftic. Various outward applications had been made, and 

 medicines taken internally, without any alleviation. When 

 Mr. Cruikfhank, lecturer on-anatomy in the fchool of Dr. 

 Hunter, called me into confultation, there was extended 

 over the heel a wound about the fize of a crown, very dark, 

 the edges livid; and the foetor from it was fo intolerable 

 that, when her maid had occafion to remove the dreffings, 

 ilie had always volatiles applied to the noftrils to prevent her 

 from fainting. The countenance fhewed a livid palenefs, 

 •lie pulfe was quick and tremulous, and the {lighteft exer- 

 tion produced faintings. The bark, opium, and wine, were 

 continued. This lady inhaled alfo fix quarts vital air mixed 

 with twelve of atmofpheric, and in a few days, as this re- 

 fpc&able family can alfo teflify, the livid hue of the wound 

 difappeared, it had a more healthy appearance, and the 

 difcharge was fo greatly improved, and fcetor gone, that 

 when the fmelling-bottle was prefented to the fervant, fhe 

 (aid that there was not the leaft occafion for it. In a 

 fortnight the fore was completely healed, the appetite re- 

 ftored, and countenance fo greatly improved that every 

 friend marked the fudden alteration ; the violence of the in- 

 ternal pain lefiencd by degrees, and the fuperoxygenated 

 air being continued for a few weeks longer, it altogether 

 lubfided ; and this lady for thefe laft fix months has enjoyed 

 P 3 uninterrupted 



