46 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1750. 



stances, these different disorders appeared in different subjects, in the same family, 

 at the same time. 



What he had hitherto said, did not demonstrate the case to be as represented, 

 but the following history throws the strongest light on this dark, mysterious 

 affair, renders the disorder, by its consequences affrightful, even shocking to tlie 

 imagination, accounts for its too common fatality, and must prove the great 

 difficulty of the cure, if in itself possible, unless attempted with judgment in the 

 very beginning. 



Dec. 11,. 1749, he was called to the son of Mr. Kitto, an honest and deserv- 

 ing farmer in the parish of St. Eve, a lad aged 10^ years. This was the 7th day 

 of his illness. His first complaints were, a pain in swallowing, not great; a 

 cough, hoarse, vexatious, like an incipient catarrh, a pain on coughing shot into 

 his ears. This was still felt at times; a thin ichor ran from his mouth, in great 

 plenty, supposed to be a quart, or 3 pints daily. His pain in swallowing was now 

 so trifling, that the Dr. saw him drink a considerable draught without removing 

 the vessel. He was now so hoarse that he could scarcely be heard. His cough was 

 rough, low, short, and ineffectual; breathed with much straitness and noise, 

 especially in inspiration ; the wheezing or rattling might be heard at a great dis- 

 tance, was always worse during a coughing fit, or for a short time after. When 

 he spit by the cough, it was glary, but glutinous; a whitish rotten sort of stuff 

 would sometimes accompany it ; its quantity never great. 



Examining his mouth, he could move his tongue every way without the least 

 pain; forward it was clean, but behind a little furred. Depressing it with a spa- 

 tula, a white body was seen on the velum pendulum palatinum and tonsils. Dr. 

 S. desired Mr. Scotchburn, a surgeon present, to examine with his forceps, if 

 this body adhered firmly to the velum, or was loose ; on trial he found it strongly 

 adhered. The lad complained of no pain on his taking hold of it. The circum- 

 ambient parts of a somewhat deeper red than natural; his breath stinking, and 

 highly offensive. He was but little thirsty, pulse quick, but sufficiently strong; 

 slept but little; what sleep he had was disturbed; he breathed much better up 

 than in bed; here he was always in danger of suffocation, and feared it. 



After pronouncing a prognostic disagreeable to himself, and all concerned, the 

 Dr. ordered the slough, as he then thought it, to be well rubbed once in 3 hours 

 a mixture acuated with spir. sal. marin. by means of a silver probe armed with 

 cotton, after which, an astringent, detergent, antiseptic gargle was to be fre- 

 quently used, and a cordial mixture to be taken at proper intervals. 



After rubbing with the probe, &c. twice, and gargling often, in a violent fit 

 of coughing with a deal of slimy filthy stuff from the pipe of the lungs, an irre- 

 gular membrane separated from the velum palatinum. It was really the external 

 and mucous coat of the part, was not rotten like a slough, but retained, though 



