VOL. XLV.J PHILOSOPHICAL TKANSACTION8. 46I 



and twistings in the bowels, swooning fits, vomitings, and great disorders in her 

 back and lower belly. These symptoms, and complaints of several other kinds, 

 continued to make her uneasy, till she found her burden increase, which fell 

 from side to side as she changed the position of her body, and could be pressed 

 by her hand from one place to another, but was rather apt to remain on the 

 right side. 



After quickening, her health became better, she grew larger than ordinary, 

 and was supposed to carry twins. About the time her delivery was expected, 

 she was taken ill with violent pains by fits across her lower belly ; but had none 

 in her back, nor any forcings downward. Next day these pains went off^, which 

 made her suppose she had misreckoned. But after this her breasts swelled, and 

 gave milk in plenty; and her menses came on, attended with more violent pains 

 than she had had before ; and such large discharges of blood from time to time, 

 that she could neither speak nor move ; and even after the fioodings were stopped 

 her blood and strength seemed quite exhausted : she often fainted away, and was 

 sometimes thought to be dead. 



She continued very sickly for 10 years afterwards ; during which time her 

 burden was moveable, and fell from side to side. But in the month of Septem- 

 ber 1741, she felt a pain beneath the navel, with a swelling and redness, which 

 in about 3 weeks appeared like a small boil. This she pierced with an awl, and 

 a yellow-coloured water ran from it without any smell, and continued so to do 

 for near 3 weeks more, when it discharged a purulent stinking matter. 



In the month of June 2 small bones came out, which were given to the surgeon 

 that visited her ; who only applied a piece of plaster, persuading her that a cure 

 was impossible. Other small bones worked themselves out afterwards, till Octo- 

 ber 1742, when the head-quarters of the Russian army being at Abo, this un- 

 happy woman applied to Dr. Mounsey, who, after a careful examination, under- 

 took to deliver her. And accordingly, desiring the assistance of Mr. Geitle, 

 surgeon to the regiment of Abo, a grooved probe was thrust into the fistula, and 

 an incision made with a history, upwards and obliquely, from the linea alba into 

 the cavity of the abdomen ; but she being unruly, and the operation not going 

 on to the doctor's liking, he proceeded no farther till the next day ; only some 

 loose bones were extracted, and the wound dressed with tents and compresses, 

 to keep in the omentum, and keep the wound open. 



At the next operation the incision was carried downwards, and then another 

 incision continued from the first was conducted upwards, and slanting at a small 

 distance from the first ; taking care to keep as near as possible the direction 



+ This history is also printed in the Swedish language, in the AcU of the Royal Academy at 

 Stockholm. — Orig. 



