152 On the Use of the Vitriolic Ether, 



C. Anderson, an African child, about fifteen months 

 old, had occasionally suffered very considerably from 

 two congenital hernias. March 16th, 1808, at 11 

 o'clock, A. M., the intestine upon the left side suffered 

 a prolapse into the scrotum. This was soon succeeded 

 by violent pain, vomiting, and, indeed, by all the dis- 

 tressing symptoms usually attendant upon incarcerated 

 hernia. The succeeding afternoon, the mother tried an 

 infusion of tobacco as a glyster, which I had previously 

 instructed her to use, when her child should again be 

 troubled with a hernial affection. It produced no other 

 effect than an increase of sickness and vomiting. 



The child continuing feverish and sick at the stomach 

 through the following night, I was requested the next 

 morning to visit it. The patient I found with a quick, 

 languid pulse, and a disposition to constant retching. 

 After an unsuccessful attempt to reduce the hernial tu- 

 mour by the taxis, the child was held up by the heels, 

 and jostled about with his head in this depending pos- 

 ture. This was all in vain. Cold water was then 

 poured upon the hernial tumor, while the hips were 

 retained in a very elevated posture, that the contractions 

 of the abdominal muscles and viscera might be so far in- 

 creased as to retract the protruded intestine into the ca- 

 vity of the abdomen. But this did not produce the 

 least diminution in the size of the tumor. I then or- 

 dered the mother to administer another enema, and 

 left the patient, promising to call again in a very short 

 time. 



