VOL. XXVIII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 31 



I shall now last of all mention the fire-bladders, which I have only observed 

 in two patients, and that in the beginning of the contagion, both which re- 

 covered ; and therefore I do not think them so very dangerous, as Mr. Purman 

 describes them to be, unless we mistake the species and property of them. To 

 me they appeared as broad as a shilling, of an irregular height and figure, with 

 a clear wrinkled skin, as if shrivelled by fire: they at last emitted a small mois- 

 ture, and vanished in a few days. I have observed them only on the belly, 

 thighs, and legs. They came forth with a small cold and succeeding heat, and 

 with pains in the head and back, and weariness. 



These were the external signs, as they appeared to us, and as far as I was 

 capable of describing them. As for the symptoms, seeing they appeared very 

 various, though the exanthemata were one and the same, it is impossible to 

 describe them so nicely as might be wished; yet by reason of the prognostics 

 I have divided them into several classes for my own practice, that I might judge 

 the better of the event. In the 1st class I placed all those that were in them- 

 selves not dangerous : in the id those that were doubtful, and had various 

 events, both good and bad : in the 3d, those that were quite dangerous. 



The symptoms, not dangerous, were pain in the head, a small shivering or 

 cold, a tolerable heat, nauseating of victuals, thirst, the belly distended with 

 flatuses, anxieties, dejectedness, pains and stitches behind the ears, in the 

 temples, and on the shoulders, heaviness in all the limbs. The dubious 

 symptoms were, palpitations of the heart, shortness of breath, anxieties and 

 faintness, looseness, vomiting, dryness of the throat, restlessness, a continual 

 fever, delirium, &c. The symptoms quite dangerous, were sleepiness and le- 

 thargy, palsy, epileptic fits, cramp, bleeding at the nose, irregular menstrual 

 fluxes, miscarriages in childbearing women, sudden loss of strength, rigor 

 and shivering through all the limbs, burning heat, staring and watering eyes, 

 continual inquietude, with great anxieties, external coldness of the limbs, and 

 inward heat, with dryness of the tongue and throat. 



I shall mention a remarkable thing, that was very common at the time 

 when the plague raged, and is not to be reckoned among those signs that 

 happen by accident. Several people, even the stoutest, were frequently struck 

 with a fear, horror and anxiety, insomuch that they perceived a violent 

 trembling and beating of the heart, and pain in the back. Many of them 

 would presently fall into despair, and concluded for certain that the plague 

 had already seized them. This was more frequently observed in the months 

 of July, August, and September. It seemed strange to me at first, but I 

 found that it had also its natural causes, which were stirred up by some secret 

 passions of the mind, and therefore might also be remedied by natural means. 



