VOL. XXV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 323 



bore the use of medicines, which possibly might have been of service in the 

 beginning of her distemper, had she been well aware of her danger. 



After her delivery, the swelling and bulk, of her belly continued much the 

 same as before the birth; only, on a plentiful evacuation of the lochia, it de- 

 creased a little. When her month was up, she advised with several physicians, 

 apothecaries, &c. who used emetics, strong cathartics, diuretics, diet-drinks, 

 and all the train of medicines commonly used in a dropsy, her supposed case. 

 All the effect they had, was to prevent the farther increase of the swelling while 

 she used them ; but, being weary of the trouble and charges to no purpose, 

 she left them wholly off, and then the tumor increased very remarkably. 



Thus she continued about a year, and then she conceived again, which she 

 suspected by the stoppage of her catamenia, having always been very regular 

 but at such a time. Her appetite was always good; she never was very thirsty, 

 so drank but little; made water freely, and in great quantity ; and was attended 

 with none of the symptoms of an ascites, excepting the swelling of her belly : 

 only when she was half gone with child, her legs began to swell and pit, 

 growing very thick all of a sudden ; from these, and likewise from her belly, 

 there would often issue out a great deal of a watery humour upon rubbing, as 

 I have mentioned already ; especially if she scratched the little pimples, that 

 would often arise in these parts. About this time she began to be afflicted with 

 a difficulty in breathing, with a violent trembling and palpitation of her heart, 

 and to be often subject to great and involuntary sighings. She was not able 

 to lye down, but was obliged to sleep in a sitting posture, for fear of being 

 choked. Now I think it probable, that all those symptoms proceeded from 

 the large quantity of water contained in the cavities of the thorax and pericar- 

 dium; which doubtless did more effectually hasten her end, than the size of 

 her belly, with which she might have lived several years. 



After she was brought to bed of a live child she became exceedingly weak, 

 being unable to fetch her breath, and complained much of a heavy load and op- 

 pression on her breast; and the third day she expired. 



The Explanation of the Figures — PI. 9, fig. 12, represents the glandulae 

 renales, the uterus, with the parts belonging to it, and the large bag or mem- 

 brane of the ovarium praeternaturally distended, a the glandula renalis on the 

 right side; b an eminence, or rising in its middle; c a vein that runs from 

 it to the cava ; d the glandula renalis on the left side ; e a sulcus or furrow in 

 its middle; f a vein running from it to the emulgent; ga small vein that 

 comes from the diaphragm, and opens into this vein before it leaves the gland ; 

 hh two small arteries from the aorta; ii two nervous twigs from one of the 



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