VOL. XLIX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 677 



claret and Bristol water, and about a week after the operation died suddenly.' 

 She was upwards of 30 years of age. > 



Tlie '2d instance was that of a young woman of St. Kivern, who was about 25,' 

 and had been 3 times tapped in the common way. Here they made use of 2 

 punctures, according to Dr. Hales's method, as recommended in the Transac- 

 tions, N° 478, and claret and tar-water for the injection ; which was conveyed 

 into the abdomen through one canula, while the dropsical lymph passed off 

 through the other. A few hours after she complained of much pain in her 

 bowels, and on drawing off* the whole contents at once, she fell into a syncope, 

 in which she remained till about 12 o'clock, the next day, when she died. 

 It may not be amiss to mention, that her breath was immediately affected by the 

 tar-water, and the smell of it continued to her death. 



The 3d instance being somewhat singular, Mr. W. thought proper to relate 

 it in all its particulars. March, 1752, he was called to Flushing, a small town 

 opposite Falmouth, to attend the tapping of a poor woman, who was about 40 

 years of age, and laboured, as was imagined, under an ascitical dropsy, occa- 

 sioned by 3 suppression of her menses, that happened about a year before. She 

 had been told of his successes with Jane Roman, and desired his assistance, 

 together with Mr. Rice, Mr. Cudlip, and Mr. Lillicrap, of the same profes- 

 sion. She was a married woman, of a chearful temper, had never had a child, 

 and to all appearance was a proper subject for the operation, she being never 

 thirsty, and her extreme parts being of the natural size : the abdomen was like- 

 wise evenly and equally distended, and of a great magnitude ; but the fluctua- 

 tion was not altogether so manifest as might have been expected. From these 

 circumstances they made no difficulty to resolve on the operation, and determined 

 to try, at the same time, the efficacy of a subastringent injection. A sufficient 

 quantity therefore of claret and Bristol water being got ready, Mr. Rice made 

 the puncture ; but on withdrawing the perforator, instead of lymph, nothing 

 but a thick, ropy, gelatinous fluid came through the canula, in colour resemb- 

 ling red port wine, or rather grumous blood. The singularity of this did not 

 however alter their measures. Two gallons of it were immediately drawn ofl^, 

 and half that quantity of claret and Bristol water injected in its stead. This 

 they proposed to have repeated the next day, and as the circumstances of the 

 patient would admit ; and to continue daily, till the whole contents should be 

 gradually discharged ; fearing that a total discharge in the ordinary way would 

 have brought on a syncope. But when they attended her again on the day 

 following, not one drop of any fluid came through the canula ; and a 2d and a 

 3d puncture was attended with no better success. Soon after this, the whole 

 abdomen became painful and distended, frequent rigors came on, and a delirium, 

 in about 12 hours, carried her off. On opening the body the day following, not 



