206 VHIL030PHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 174(j. 



A Remarkable Instance of the Happy Effect of Musk, in a very Dangerous Case. 

 By James Parsons, M.D., F.R.S. N° 478, p. 75. 



Mr. Darlington, a man of a robust habit of body, was taken ill about the be- 

 ginning of December last of a rheumatic fever, attended with the loss of the use 

 of his limbs, excessive pain in every part, and swellings in his knees and hands, 

 with all the other symptoms usual in this kind of fever. He also coughed up 

 grumous blood, and had a violent pain in his right side, from a fall against the 

 edge of a table, a few days before he was seized with this fever, which rendered 

 his case the more dangerous. 



During the first 10 days he was attended by his apothecary only ; who, finding 

 him grow worse, proposed a physician, who was accordingly called in, and or- 

 dered a bleeding, with such other remedies as he thought necessary : this, it 

 seems, was the 2d time he had been let blood. But the patient by this time was 

 so averse to taking medicines, that he did not duly follow the method ordered 

 by this gentleman, and at length absolutely refused to take any more, and so dis- 

 charged the doctor on the 4th day of his attendance. 



On the 15th day of his illness he sent for Dr. P., having been formerly con- 

 cerned for some of his family. His symptoms had increased, and his disease was 

 gaining ground apace. He had him let blood immediately, which was one-third 

 part size, and ordered it to be repeated, and put him under such a regimen as 

 the state of his case then required; but as soon as he was gone, he refused to 

 comply with his prescriptions also. Dr. P. expressed his concern for his obsti- 

 nate temper, and left him on his 4th visit. 



Thus were 1 8 days passed, and his case becoming more desperate every day. 

 Dr. P. heard no more of him till 5 days afiter, which was on the 23d day of his 

 disease, when he was intreated to visit him again, and found him most miserably 

 afflicted with 2 of the most dangerous symptoms that can appear at the end of 

 such a dangerous distemper; viz. a long intermission of his pulse every 3d or 4th 

 stroke, and a most fatiguing hickup, which struck him violently about ] times 

 in a minute. 



His case was now deplorable and desperate, through his own folly ; and he 

 was then very weak and delirious. However, willing to assist him, and calling 

 to mind the accounts of the musk some time since communicated to the Royal 

 Society,* he was resolved to have recourse to it here. Accordingly he directed 

 a draught, consisting of 1 oz. \ of strong cinnamon water, 2 drs. of compound 

 piony water, and 15 grs. of musk, with orders to increase the dose of musk to 

 20 grs., and repeat the draught every 6 hours. He also told his wife to give him 

 a glass of sack, as often as he would have it ; and at the same time caused 3 



* See Phil. Trans., N" 474.— Orig. 



