376 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1759. 



- Small seeds, in their pods, may be preserved by being placed thinly on pieces 

 of paper, cotton or linen cloth, that have been dipped in wax, then rolled up 

 tight, and well secured from air by a further covering of wax. 



XXV. Of a Very Long Suppression of Urine. By A. Dawson, M.D. p. 215. 



R. W. aged 23 years, tall and well made, was seized, in the year 1755, with 

 a weakness of one side, which soon went off, leaving only one knee weak and 

 swelled; for which she was admitted into St. George's Hospital. April 4, 1756, 

 she had a stoppage of urine, and felt no disposition to make any for 2 days. 

 During the whole month of April, the discharge of urine was very irregular, it 

 having ceased at one time for 5 days, and at another time for Q days. When 

 the catheter was introduced, little or no urine was found in the bladder. 



In order to relieve her, she had been directed to use both the warm and cold 

 bath, bleeding, purging, turpentine clysters, and a strong infusion of pareira 

 brava, without any success : cantharides had likewise been given her to the 

 quantity of 3 grs. in a dose; and this dose had been repeated 4 times in 24 hours; 

 but without any other effect than that of occasioning pains in her throat, stomach, 

 and bowels, with vomiting and purging. A wet towel put round her waist 

 seemed to do the most good, and brought away some water 2 or 3 times ; but 

 afterwards ceased to have this effect. 



From April 26, 1756, she made no water, and felt no want of making it 

 for many months ; yet all this time she could eat once or twice a day, and was 

 able to walk and ride. She was sparing in the use of liquids ; . she had but little 

 sleep, no sweats, and her skin had no urinous smell : her breathing was often 

 very laborious, with a dry cough : the catamenia were irregular : there were 

 ©edematous swellings in her limbs, abdomen, hips, and face; but by the help of 

 purges, and spontaneous vomitings, which began in the 3d month of the sup- 

 pression, these swellings were tolerably kept under. She vomited sometimes 

 every day, and sometimes only every 3d or 4th day ; and though these vomit- 

 ings usually came on presently after dinner, yet what she vomited seemed to be 

 mere urine, without any thing which she had eaten mixed with it. In the be- 

 ginning of June 1757» the nipples of her breasts chopped, and discharged some 

 times a watery humour, sometimes a thick matter, streaked with blood, and some- 

 times a humour approaching to the colour of urine : all these discharges had a 

 urinous scent, and seemed to lessen her urinous vomitings, which from this 

 time became less frequent : but her legs, and especially her body, swelled to an 

 extraordinaiy size, and she breathed with the utmost difficulty. 



August 1 and 2, 1757, after a total suppression of urine for above a year and 

 3 months, she felt uncommon pricking pains, with great heat all down her back 

 and loins, and about the belly and groin. On the 2d day she voided about 3 oz. 



