S60 Case of Hi/drop fioMa cured in India hj Bleeding. 



I therefore without delay opened a vein in the right ann 

 by a large orifice, out of which the blood sprung with un- 

 common impetuosity, and of so florid a colour as to resem- 

 ble arterial rather than venous blood. By the time that 

 sixteen or tweniy ounces of blood had flowed, the spasmo- 

 dic starlings of his arms, body, and neck had considerably 

 ' diminished, his breathing had become more calm, with less 

 contortion of countenance, and he audibly acknowledged 

 that the pain about the prsecordia and region of the stomach 

 was upon the decline. Encouraged by these incipient ap- 

 pearances of amendment,, T allowed the flow of blood to 

 continue; and when about two pinis were taken away, 

 seeing him greatly composed, I desired water to be again 

 oflfercd to h-m — when, equallv to my astonishment and de- 

 light, he took the cup in his left hand, the blood still flow- 

 ing from the right arm, and calmly — but with indescribable 

 expression of satisfaction, drank two or three ounces of 

 water — the sight of which but a few minutes before had 

 thrown him into the most dreadful agonies. Soon after 

 swallowing the water, he retched three or four times, but 

 ejected nothing but saliva from his mouth and fauces; and 

 finding now that his pulse was 104, weak, soft, and regular; 

 that he was become faint, and that all appearance of un- 

 easiness had ceased, so as to allow him to take a second 

 draught of water, about four ounces, I closed the vein and 

 laid him down on the bed. At this moment he ex])ressed 

 a desire to have a natural alvine evacuation, and wished to 

 go out of the hospital for that purpose; but as that could 

 not be complied with, he took no more notice of it at this 

 time. It is worthy of remark also, that during the bleed- 

 ing he made a sign to have himself fanned, a thing I never 

 knew a hydrophobic patient to do bei'ore; — their distress 

 being so uniformly increased by any current of air blowing 

 upon them, that, according to all my experience, the dread 

 o\ air in motion is as constant an attendant on the disease 

 as the dread of water itself. 



Atter the bleeding he remained perfectly quiet, and fel' 

 into a slumber for about an hour; — another circumstance 

 which also strongly marks the abolition of the disease, as 

 no hydrophobic patient was ever known to sleep. When 

 he awoke, he expressed a wish to have some sherbet ; which 

 was immediately given to him, and he drank lour ounces 

 of it with perfect ease. He then fell into another slumber, 

 during which some convulsive startings were again per- 

 ceptible about his arms, chest, and face, but not strong 

 enough to wake him. At a quarter past five he spontane- 

 ously 



