VOL. XLIII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 7 



lymph and restringents, and flattered himself that some of them, especially those 

 of the warmest kind, applied immediately to the parts affected, (the ruptured 

 lymphatics) must, according to their known mode of operation, close up their 

 mouths, and prevent a further effusion of their contents, and consequently a re- 

 turn of the disease. 



In order then to obtain this desirable end, Mr. W. resolved to try their efficacy 

 by way of injection, on the emptied cavity : and for this purpose the claret and 

 Bristol water seemed to claim the superiority of esteem; not only as they pro- 

 duced the strongest coagulum with lymph, but also in being the safest, and least 

 liable to create any uneasy sensations on the viscera. 



Mr. W.'s apparatus was, a large trois-quarts, made on purpose, and dipped in 

 oil ; an injector, capable of containing 2 or 3 pints, adapted to it ; and 3 or 4 

 gallons of blood-warm injection, composed of equal parts of cohere claret, and 

 fresh Bristol water; besides compress, bandage, &c. as is usual on these occasions. 

 It was conducted pretty nearly thus : being seated on her bed-side, and proper 

 assistants attending her, he plunged the trois-quart into the abdomen, about 5 or 

 6 inches below, and as much on the left side of the umbilicus ; and thereby soon 

 discharged upwards of 20 pints of such clear briny lymph as before ; which quan- 

 tity did not exceed f of the whole, though as much as her strength could well 

 bear: the claret and Bristol water being then in readiness, he began to replenish 

 the empty cavity with them; but he had scarcely injected 10 or 12 pints of it, 

 before a syncope, a very material obstruction, made some advances, and was like 

 to baffle his design. Here he perceived the great expedition necessary in conduct- 

 ing this experiment; that symptom being more or less violent, as he happened to 

 be dextrous, or remiss; and was, for the most part, the only one of consequence 

 that attended it. Quickening therefore his hand as fast as he was able, and an 

 assistant stopping the mouth of the cannula with his finger, to prevent a return, 

 he soon brought her up to her former magnitude, and had the pleasure of seeing 

 the above symptom suspended. He had then time to ask her, what kind of 

 sensation this new piece of practice excited within the cavity ? and whether or not 

 she thought herself capable of undergoing it a second time? She answered him 

 in the affirmative; and said, it seemed as it were entering her stomach. Not- 

 withstanding he had reason to believe his intentions already answered, as much as 

 in bringing those restringents in contact with the parts affected, yet as there was 

 a great quantity of lymph left behind in the cavity undischarged, which, on ac- 

 count of the syncope, he could not well prevent, he imagined their action, and 

 full efficacy, might thereby be in some degree interrupted. Every thing therefore 

 being in a favourable way, he repeated the mixture for a 2d injection, the claret 

 being in a double proportion of the water, to render it the more efficacious for 

 that purpose; drew off the whole contents of the abdomen to as much as would 



