CLASS I. 2. 3. 12. OF IRRITATION'. 87 



ted, it is generally fatal. As by ftimulating one branch of 

 lymphatics into inverted motion, another branch is liable to ab- 

 forb its fluid more haftily ; fuppofe ftrong errhines, as com- 

 mon tobacco fnuffto children, or one grain of turpeth mineral, 

 (hydrargyrus vitriolat'us), mixed with ten or fifteen grains of fu- 

 gar, were gradually blown up the noftrils ? See Clafs I. 3. 2. I. 

 I have tried common fnuff upon two children in this difeafe ; 

 one could not be made to fneeze, and the other was too near death 

 to receive advantage. Whpn the mercurial preparations have 



I reduced falivatiort, I believe they may have been of fbrvice, but 

 doubt their good effect otherwife. In one child I tried the 

 ncture of digitalis ; but it was given with too timid a hand, 

 nd too late in the difeafe, to determine its effects. See Seel. 

 XXIX. 5. 9. 



As all the above remedies generally fail of fuccefs, I think 

 frequent, ahnolt hourly, (hocks of electricity from very fmall 

 charges might be pafied through the head in all directions with 

 probability of good event ; as by Volta's rods of zinc and filver 

 defcribed in Clafs I. 2. 5. 5, A folution of hydrargyrus muria- 

 tus, corrofive fublimate of mercury in rectified fpirit of wine, 

 three grains to an ounce, is faid to produce inftantaneous and 

 violent falivation ; as defcribed in Clafs II. 1.5. I. on Gonor- 

 rhoea. Could a fmall quantity of this violent ftimulus be 

 ufed according to the age of the child with probable good ef- 

 fect ? Could the trephine be ufed with fafety or advantage 

 where the affected fide can be diftinguiihed ? See Strabifmus, 

 Clafs I. 2. 5. 4. When one eye is affected, does the difeafe ex- 

 rft in the ventricle of that fide ? 



The following extract from a letter of Dr. Beddoes on hydro- 

 eephalus internus, is well worthy to be attended to. 



" Mafter L , aged 9 years, became fuddenly ill in the 



night about a week before I faw him. On the day before the 

 attack, he had taken opening medicines, and had bathed after- 

 wards. He had complained of violently acute pain in his head, 

 fhrieked frequently, ground his teeth hard, could not bear to 

 have his head raifed from the pillow, and was torpid or 

 deaf. His tongue was white, pulfe 1 10 in the evening and full. 

 As yet the pupil of the eye was irritable, and he had no ftrabif- 

 mus. He had been bled with leeches about the head, and blifter- 

 ed. I directed mercurial inunction, and calomel from 3 to 6 grains 

 to be taken at firft every fix, and afterwards every three hours. 

 This plan produced no fenfible effect, and the patient died on 

 the 1 8th day after the feizure. He had convulfion-fits two days 

 preceding his death, and the well-known fymptoms of hydro- 

 cephalus internus all made their appearance. From what I had 



feen 



