l64 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1751, 



with quadi-upeds. First, he had our great Ray for his director, who has him- 

 self done the same thing: and, secondly, he found, that though these creatures 

 are really amphibious, yet the commanding characters, by which he has, with 

 great sagacity, distinguished his classes, prevail here to give them a place rather 

 among the quadrupeds than the amphibia. 



This great naturalist divides the animal kingdom into 6 classes, and each class 

 into 6 orders. Each order is again divided into different genera, and each genus 

 again has its different species. The phoca then is the 6th genus under the 2d 

 order of the quadrupedia ; which order is that he calls ferae.* 



M. de la Condamine, in the account of his voyage down the River of the 

 Amazons, describes an animal, which doubtless is a species of the phoca. See 

 figs. II, 12, 13, pi. 3. 



XVI. Of an Iliac Passion, from a Palsy of the large Intestines. Communicated 

 to Dr. de Castro, F. R. S. Translated from the Latin, by Tho. Stack, M. D., 

 F. R. S. p. 123. 



A merchant, aged 70, who had been accustomed to hardships from his in- 

 fancy, was, for the last 6 years, subject to rheumatic pains ; but considering his 

 disorder as the effect of old age, he rejected all medical advice. In these cir- 

 cumstances it happened that he was suddenly set upon by a party of soldiers, who 

 with severe threatenings turned him out of his house, and took possession of it : 

 which so terrified him, that he was seized with a violent belly-ach ; and his agony 

 so overpowered him, that he fell on the ground half dead, and at the same time 

 voided blood by the anus. 



Afterwards he was much subject to the gripes all the ensuing winter, which he 

 took no care of. During this time he suffered much from costiveness, till March 

 1747, when he was seized with severe pains about the navel ; and though he had 

 clysters of several sorts given him, not one of them could be made to pass. He 

 was feverish and thirsty, with a white moist tongue, and could not sleep. He 

 was blooded as much as he could well bear ; and the blood did not appear in- 

 flammatory. He was treated with laxative medicines, antiphlogistic fomenta- 

 tions, to ease the gripings, and give a free passage ; but nothing took effect for 

 7 days together. 



On the 8th he began to break wind, retain the clysters, discharge some little 

 faeces, and to sleep, though not quietly; and on the Qth to make turbid urine. 

 But these promising appearances were but of short duration ; for on the 1 1 th his 

 belly was so bloated, that he seemed tympanitic ; and an acute pain, which he 



• Dr. P. here refers to the tenth edition of the Systema Naturae of Linneus. 



