572 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [anN0 1742. 



far short of a demonstration of Newton's celebrated binomial theorem, that 

 it is undeserving of being reprinted on the present occasion. 



Two Histories of Internal Cancers, and of what appeared on Dissection. By 

 fVUliam Burton, M. D. of IVindsor. N° aQa, p. gg. 



Bartholomew Collins, a labourer in the king's works at Windsor, of low 

 stature, pale complexion, slender and active, about 36 years of age, temperate 

 in his manner of living, had, for some years, been afflicted at different times 

 with wandering arthritic, colic, and nephritic pains, none of which were peri- 

 odical or constant. During this term, when in best health, he was usually 

 costive, and his urine, as soon as made, deposited a calculous sediment. 



In March 1733, he received a violent blow by a ponderous and obtuse in- 

 strument on his loins, and the spine of the os innominatum, towards the left 

 side, which disabled him for that day. On the next, the pain abating, he con- 

 tinued so well for 6 months after, as not even to recollect this accident, till 

 about a month before his death, though he was often asked by the physician, 

 whether that part had ever suffered a contusion. 



In January following, he complained of an excruciating pain, extending from 

 the said spine to the spurious ribs on the left side, which sometimes attacked 

 also the intestines ; whence he became continually restless, especially in the 

 night, and, tossing the bed cloaths off, frequently lay naked. He could not 

 now lie on his back or left, viz. the affected side, but lay always on his right 

 side, leaning on his right elbow. In April 1734, his left knee, from a con- 

 traction of the muscles elevating it, was always drawn up towards the abdomen, 

 insomuch that he could not stand upright. His left testicle, formerly less than 

 the right, was now become scirrhus, and increased to double the magnitude 

 of this, and the left spermatic vessels felt like a knotty cord. A sort of hectic 

 fever attended him, the exacerbation of which, as well as of his pains, was ge- 

 nerally about noon and 6 in the evening. 



After various medicines had been tried in vain. Dr. B. was consulted, April 

 4th, 1734. The patient at that time complained of an intolerable pain, on any 

 pressure, about the region of the left kidney ; whereupon a maturating cata- 

 plasm was applied in the day-time, and a plaster at night. Emulsions, whey, 

 and such like, were the chief internals he used till April 8th, when crude mer- 

 cury was recommended to him, of which he took 1 oz. night and morning, 

 which gave so much relief as to encourage the continuance of that medicine 

 only to the 17th, when the pains returning, he was bled once in 2 or 3 days, 

 to 4 or 5 oz. and treated with the subacid, cooling regimen, and paregorics. 



I 



