VOL. XXX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 307 



On the Dissection of a Child much emaciated. By Dr. Patrick Blair, R. S. S, 



W 353, p. 63 J. 



This child was 5 months old, and was so emaciated, that it appeared rather 

 to have decreased, than to have increased in bulk, from the time of its birth ; 

 its whole body not weighing above 5 lbs. The skin and muscles of the abdo- 

 men were very thin, but the peritonaeum was preternaturally thick. The ventri- 

 culus was more like an intestine than a stomach, its length being 5 inches, and 

 its breadth only J inch. Its coats were thick and fleshy, and the cavity very 

 inconsiderable. The pylorus, and almost half of the duodenum were cartila- 

 ginous, and rather inclining to an ossification, so that no nourishment could 

 have passed into the intestines, though the stomach had been capable of con- 

 taining it; whence it is no wonder that the body was so emaciated. There were 

 scarcely any traces of the omentum to be seen, even at the bottom of the 

 stomach, to which it usually adheres. The right lobe of the lungs adhered 

 firmly to the ribs, and had 3 exulcerations, which contained purulent matter. 

 It was so very thin and compact, that it seemed as if that lobe had never been 

 of use in respiration. The left lobe was of a more florid red, spongy, and free 

 from any adhesion. 



On inquiring into the symptoms this child had been affected with, the 

 mother told me, it seemed to be healthy till about a month old, when it was 

 seized with a violent vomiting, and a stoppage of urine and stool. Some time 

 after, both these became more regular, but the vomiting still continued. It 

 seemed to have a great appetite, taking what suck, drink, or other food was 

 offered it, with a kind of eagerness ; but immediately threw it all up again. It 

 had all along breathed freely, and had no cough, notwithstanding the exulcera- 

 tions above-mentioned. This confirmed nie in the opinion that it had never 

 breathed by the right lobe of the lungs. 



There could be nothing more emaciated than this child was; and it seems 

 to be wortli considering, whether its illness might not be owing in a great 

 measure to the want of the omentum, for it seemed never to have had 

 any ; as also, whence it is that this part is generally consumed in an atro- 

 phy, and in most hydropical cases, except where itself is more especially con- 

 cerned. 



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