478 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1754. 



rescence over all her skin, which by degrees became pustular, and was very 

 troublesome by its heat and itching. The use of mercury was then discontinued, 

 and she took no medicine but half a pint of an infusion of sarsaparilia in the 

 morning, and an emulsion of melon and poppy-seeds in the evening. Then the 

 heat and itching abated, and the pustules suppurated. Signor Crusio says, that 

 he had the pleasure to see many small globules or particles of mercury separated 

 in the ripe pustules. This is something so unusual and surprising, that we shall 

 scarcely be inclined to give our assent till we are forced to it by further experience 

 and observation ; especially as we know that the most careful and sensible men 

 are often mistaken ; but that it is very rare that any thing happens out of the 

 ordinary course of nature.* 



About the middle of May following, her skin was quite clear of pustules, and 

 was become perfectly soft and flexible, being capable of being moved, raised, 

 extended, and of performing all its natural functions. This softness and flexibi- 

 lity of the skin was general, except in the forehead and lips; which however 

 afterwards recovered their natural state. But there still remained an unusual 

 degree of tension in some of the muscles, which lie immediately under the skin, 

 particularly in those of the hand and radius; on which account, a milk diet was 

 prescribed, to supply the blood with a proper matter for filling the cells of the 

 adipose membrane; which membrane, by having sustained a long pressure 

 between the diseased skin and muscles, was become deprived of its proper muci- 

 laginous and oily juices, designed by nature to keep the parts soft and flexible, 

 and to facilitate the motion of the muscles. 



LXXVIII. Experiments on the Use of the Agaric of Oak in Stopping Hemor- 

 rhages. I. The Event of Experiments made by Agaric on the imputation 



of the Legs of 2 Women in Guy's Hospital. By Mr. Samuel Sharp, Surgeon 

 of that Hospital, and F.R.S. p. 588. 



The styptic powers of the agaric were tried on 2 women, whose legs were 

 amputated below the knee. One of them was 62 years of age, and had been 

 very much impaired by a long illness, and continual pain. During the operation 

 she bled with great impetuosity; and it was with difficulty, that the hgemorrhage 

 was stopped, notwithstanding Mr. S. pressed the agaric, with all his force, against 

 the extremities of the tibialis antica, and tibialis postica, the 2 largest arteries. 

 The tendency to bleed, after the operation was such, that Mr. S. found it 

 necessary to apply the tourniquet, and keep a tight stricture on the femoral 

 artery. She complained grievously of the pain arising from the stricture; on 

 which it was a little loosened, and soon after a haemorrhage ensued from one of 



* This remark seems to have been introduced into the text by the editor of the original Transactions. 



