I2O Josiah Wedgwood CHAP. 



London, who was hiring new showrooms for him, 

 saying that he had over-walked and over-worked his 

 leg, and the result was intense pain. He again con- 

 sulted Mr. Bent, the surgeon of Newcastle-under-Lyme, 

 who tried embrocations externally and emetics internally. 

 He thus described the results to Bentley : " The pain 

 had no sooner left my knee than I was very ill in other 

 respects; I suffered from great heat and difficulty 

 of breathing, insomuch that I was glad to feel the 

 pain again returning to the knee, and as the pain 

 again returned into that part, the other symptoms 

 left me." 



Though Wedgwood was now a comparatively 

 thriving and prosperous man master of a large 

 pottery establishment, treasurer of the Grand Trunk 

 Canal, and interested in many public undertakings 

 the disease in his knee was constantly returning. It 

 was a constant source of pain and worry. It inter- 

 fered with his sleep " kind Nature's sweet restorer, 

 balmy sleep." It hindered his peace of mind. It 

 prevented him attending to his business. He could 

 not even conduct his correspondence. He began to 

 contemplate the idea of getting rid of this terrible 

 incumbrance. 



On the advice of his friend Dr. Darwin, he determined 

 to consult a surgeon. Had conservative surgery ex- 

 isted in those days, perhaps his limb might have 

 been saved. But Wedgwood had to accommodate 

 himself to the then condition of surgery. He was 



