50 Obsefvations on a Case of 



lar situation, except that not one of the number was 

 so much exhausted as himself. He did not complain 

 of much pain or griping ; but the discharges were 

 very large, and apparently of a watery nature. 



The circumstance of all the family being affected 

 at the same time, created a suspicion, that some nox- 

 ious food had been used by them : but, on inquiry, 

 this did not appear to be the case ; nor could any 

 probable cause be assigned, for the disease, except 

 the vicissitudes of the weather. For this had been 

 very dry and warm, for some weeks in August, and 

 after this there was a fall of rain, and cool weather. 



Twodoses of calomel and rhubarb, with laudanum, 

 soon checked the discharges in Mr. B. The latter 

 medicines alone had the same effect in two of the 

 children. As I considered the father perfectly recover- 

 ed, my visits were discontinued, and I heard nothing 

 from him until the 8th of October, when he again 

 sent for me. On entering his house, the extraordi- 

 nary appearance upon his skin greatly alarmed me. 

 His face, body, and extremities, were covered with 

 petechia^ some of which were of the size of a dollar, 

 and of a black hue. Others were not unlike flea- 

 bites, and were painful, more especially those on his 

 legs. He compared his feelings to those of a man 

 after having received a severe beating. 



His gums were much swollen, and as black as 

 charcoal : his breath extremely fetid. He passed, by 

 stool, considerable quantities of blojW, which was of 



