SECT. HI. 5. 9. THE RETINA. 17 



fion of the organs of fenfe, and that our ideas are the motions 

 of thefe organs : the fubfequent cafes will illuflrate this obfer- 

 vation. 



Mifs G , a fair young lady, with light eyes and hair, was 



feized with moft violent convulfions of her limbs, with outra- 

 geous hiccough, and mod vehement efforts to vomit : after near 

 an hour was elapfed this tragedy ceafed, and a calm talkative 

 delirium fupervened for about another hour ; and thefe relieved 

 each other at intervals during the greatefl part of three or four 

 days. After having carefully conlidered this difeafe, I thought 

 the convulfions of her ideas lefs dangerous than thofe of her 

 mufcles ; and having in vain attempted to make any opiate 

 continue in her ftomach, an ounce of laudanum was rubbed along 

 the fpine of her back, and a dram of it was ufed as an enema ; 

 by this medicine a kind of drunken delirium was continued ma- 

 ny hours ; and when it ceaied the convulfions did not return ; 

 and the lady continued well many years, except fome (lighter re- 

 lapfes, which were relieved in the lame manner. 



Mifs H , an accomplifhed young lady, with light eyes and 



hair, was feized with convulfions of her limbs, with hiccough, 

 and efforts to vomit more violent than words can exprefs ; thefe 

 continued near an hour, and were fucceeded with a cataleptic 

 fpafm of one arm, with the hand applied to her head ; and af- 

 ter about twenty minutes theie fpaims ceafed, and a talkative 

 reverie fupervened for near an hour, from which no violence, 

 which it was proper to ufe, could awaken her. Thefe periods 

 of convulfions, firft of the mufcles, and then of the ideas, re- 

 turned twice a day for feveral weeks ; and were at length re- 

 moved by great dofes of opium, after a great variety of other 

 medicines and applications had been in vain experienced This 

 lady was fubjeft to frequent relapfes, once or twice a year for 

 many years, and was as frequently relieved by the fame method. 



Mifs W , an elegant young lady, with black eyes and 



hair, had fometimes a violent pain of her fide, at other times a 

 mod painful ftrangury, which were every day fucceeded by de- 

 lirium ; which gave a temporary relief to the painful fpaims. 

 After the vain exhibition of variety of medicines and applica- 

 tions by different phyficians, for more than a twelvemonth, (he, 

 was direded to take fome dofes of opium, which were gradually 

 increafed, by which a drunken delirium was kept up for a day 

 or two and the pains prevented from returning. A flefh diet, 

 with a little wine or beer, inftead of the low regimen (he tad 

 preyioufly ufed, in a few weeks completely eftablifhed her health ; 

 which, except a few relapfes, has continued for many years. 



9. Laftly as we advance in life all the parts of the body be- 



Vol. I. P comQ 



