338 ON THE USE OF COLD BATHING 



ful effects of destroying the fingers and toes ; and rendered 

 him of no other service on the estate, except as a watchman, 

 which was the duty allotted him for some years past. 



In February 1778, his disease broke out with uncommon 

 violence in the right foot, and seized the metatarsus, with 

 most excruciating pains. The weather at this time was moist 

 and foggy, and his hut was not in good repair : it was also 

 situated in a valley, in the midst of woods and plantain 

 walks, though otherwise in a dry part of the country. 



On the 28th of March we were called to his assistance. 

 He complained of a stiffness of his jaws, neck, and spine, 

 with an acute pain striking through from the cartilago en- 

 siformis to the spine, which at times threw him backwards 

 into violent spasms. These returned frequently, and great- 

 ly distressed the poor creature. During the spasms he 

 was incapable of swallowing any thing, and, at all times, 

 expressed a sense of great stricture and rigidity in the mus- 

 cles of deglutition ; as often as he attempted to swallow any 

 thing, or to move, the spasms were immediately brought 

 on. He had been in this situation some days before we 

 were sent for. 



Speedy assistance {seemed absolutely necessary, and we re- 

 solved to leave no method untried, that might afford the least 

 prospect of relief. The following course was therefore or- 

 dered to be strictly followed, viz. 



R Op. Thebaic. 5ss divide in Pilul. xij. 

 Cap. Pilul. unam 2 quaque hora. 



We gave directions that he should be well soused, with 

 the coldest water that could be procured, every four hours ; 

 and twice a-day to rub his spine with mercurial ointment, 

 made of equal parts of hogVlard and quicksilver : emollient 

 oily clysters were at proper times injected. 



March 29- — He took all the pills as directed, and received 

 great benefit from the cold water ; he generally sweated co- 



