30 PHILOSOPHIC A.L TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1750. 



branes, about a finger's length, and 2 in breadth ; to lubricate the intestines Dr. 

 L. directed 10 oz. of plain mutton broth to be injected, which, after the first 

 time, was constantly absorbed, and was repeated twice every day, till the 3d 

 of May. 



In this state, with no other sustenance than these broth-glysters, the laxative 

 one repeated every third day, and a warm carminative plaister applied on the 

 tumor, did the patient continue till the 17 th of March, when, observing an in- 

 termission in the pulse, and hoping that a decoction of the cort. Peruv. might 

 corroborate the solids, if absorbed, as the broth glysters were, he directed 8 oz. 

 of the decoction to be injected, and repeated 4 hours after : by accident, the 

 first was not half thrown up; the 2nd on the 18th of March, at 2 o'clock in the 

 morning, had a very extraordinary eflfect ; for being entirely absorbed, about 2 

 hours after, the young lady complained of a most acute pain in her stomach, 

 which by its violence brought on a profuse sweat, and threw her into a syncope, 

 in which she remained a full quarter of an hour ; then, shrieking, made signs to 

 her nurse to bring her the basin ; she vomited near 2 lb. of grumous blood, and 

 then some purulent matter ; then she discharged by stool above 4 quarts of well 

 digested pus, with several pieces of membranes, like those before-mentioned. 

 The purulent discharge continued gradually decreasing till the 23d of April. Bal- 

 samics, and small quantities of thin veal and mutton-broth, were daily given. 

 April the 29th the patient was purged with pulp of cassia. May the 3d the 

 mutton-broth glysters were omitted, the stomach now performing its office. The 

 7th 10 oz. of blood were taken from the foot, which brought down the menses. 

 The tumefaction and induration of the muscles and glands of the neck were re- 

 moved by the continual application of the emplastr. saponac. And after the use 

 of stomachics, and mineral waters, the young lady was perfectly cured on the 

 17th of June 1746, and continued well ever after. 



It may not be improper to observe, that the stomach, on account of the num- 

 ber of blood-vessels it is furnished with, is as liable to inflammations, and ab- 

 scesses, as any part of the human body. These are occasioned by a stagnation 

 of the blood, which, if not speedily removed, must greatly endanger the pa- 

 tient's life, by obstructing the necessary vital functions of that viscus. The 

 speedy progress of this disease, and the remoteness of the part from proper ap- 

 plications, render its termination mostly fatal; and these abscesses more fre- 

 quently terminate by a gangrene, than come to suppuration. Those that do 

 suppurate, generally form ulcers, penetrating into the cavity of the abdomen, 

 and sometimes also perforate the integuments. 



Luetus (De His Qui Vivunt Sine Alimento) relates several instances of persons 

 who have lived a long while without food, but then they could admit of liquids ; 

 and the young lady which Mons. Littre (Mem de I'Academ. des Sciences. Ann. 



