

GLASS I. 2. 2. i. OF IRRITATION. 73 



and have thence generally periihed themfelves. But Dr. Den- 

 man has ingenioufly introduced a new practice, which has faved , 

 in fuch cafes, both the mother and child ; which is by promo- 

 ting a premature delivery between the feventh and eighth months, 

 before the child has acquired its full growth, which has been at- 

 tended with fuccefs. See Denman's Midwifery, and Medical 

 journal, Vol. III. No. 1 1. 



In one inftance, nature feems to have had a fimilar expedient, 

 md perhaps to overcome a fimilar difficulty, in the premature 

 >irth of the progeny of the kanguroo ; whofe young are exclu- 

 led from the uterus in a very early ftate of their growth, and re- 

 ceived into an exterior bag ; which is furnimed with teats, to 

 which they long adhere by their mouths, till they are ready for 

 a fecond birth. 



15. Rachitis. Rickets. The head is large, protuberant chief-? 

 ly on the forepart. The fmaller joints are fwelled ; the ribs de- 

 preffed ; the belly tumid, with other parts emaciated. This dif- 

 cafe from the innutrition or foftnefs of the bones arofe about two 

 centuries ago , feems to have been half a century in an increaf. 

 ing or fpreading itate ; continued about half a century at its 

 height, or greateit diffufion ; and is now nearly vanifhed : which 

 gives reafon to hope, that the fmall-pox, meafles, and venereal 

 difeafe, which are all of modern production, and have already- 

 become milder, may in procefs of time vanifh from the earth, 

 and perhaps be fucceeded by new ones ! See the preceding 

 Species. 



1 6. Spina dijlortio. Diftortion of the fpirfe is another difeafe 

 originating from the innutrition or foftnefs of the bones. I once 

 faw a child about fix years old with palpitation of heart, and 

 quicknefs of refpiration, which began to have a curvature of the 

 fpine , I then doubted, whether the palpitation and quick refpi- 

 ration were the caufe or confequence of the curvature of the 

 fpine j fufpe&ing either that nature had bent the fpine outwards 

 to give room to the enlarged heart ; or that the malformation of 

 the cheft had compreiled and impeded the movements of the 

 heart. But a few weeks ago on attending a young lady about 

 ten years old, whofe fpine had lately begun to be distorted, with 

 very great difficulty and quicknefs of refpiration, and alarming 

 palpitation of the heart, I convinced myfelf, that the palpitation 

 and difficult refpiration were the effect of the change of the cav- 

 ity of the cheft from the diftortion of the fpine ; and that th<- 

 whole was therefore a difeafe of the innutrition or foftnefs of the 

 bones. 



For on directing her to lie down much in the day, and to 



take the bark, the diftortion became lefs, and the palpitation and 



VOL. II. L quick 



