VOL. LII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TKANSACTIONS. 627 



with the same excruciating pain, and in a few days that also began to mortify. 

 In a very little time both legs were perfectly sphacelated. The mortified parts 

 separated without assistance from the sound parts, and the surgeon had, in most 

 of the cases, no other trouble than to cut through the bone, with little or no 

 pain to the patient. The separation was in most of them about 1 inches below 

 the knee; in some rather lower; and to one child the feet separated at the ancle, 

 without any assistance from the surgeon. In some the separation was not quite 

 so perfect. The eldest girl had one leg taken off, and the other was perfectly 

 sphacelated; but the surgeon had not thought proper to cut it off yet, as the 

 thigh was much swelled, and there was a large abscess under the ham. The 

 mother had the right foot off at the ancle ; the other leg was a mere bone, quite 

 black, and exceedingly fetid, with some little remains of putrid, almost dry flesh, 

 in some parts. One child only had one leg saved, with the loss of 2 toes of that 

 leg. Three of the children had lost both legs, and the other child both feet. 

 This was the state of their legs at that time ; viz. 



Mary the mother, aetat. 40. The right foot off at the ancle: left leg morti- 

 fied, a mere bone; but not off. Mary, aetat. 15. One leg off below the knee: 

 the other perfectly sphacelated ; but not then off. Elizabeth, aetat. 13. Both legs 

 off below the knees. Sarah, aetat. 10. One foot off at the ancle. Robert, aetat. 

 1. Both legs off below the knees. Edward, astat. 4. Both feet off at the 

 ancles. An infant, 4 months old, dead. 



The father was attacked about a fortnight after the rest of the family, and in 

 a slighter degree, the pain being confined to 2 fingers of his right hand, which 

 turned blackish, and were withered for sometime; but were then better, and he 

 had in some degree recovered the use of them. 



It is remarkable, that during all the time of this calamity, the whole family 

 are said to have appeared in other respects well. They ate heartily, and slept 

 well, when the pain began to abate. When Dr. W. saw them they all seemed 

 free from fever, except the girl, who had an abscess in her thigh. The mother 

 looked emaciated, and had very little use of her hands. The rest of the family 

 seemed well. One poor boy in particular looked as healthy and florid as pos- 

 sible, and was sitting on the bed quite jolly ; drumming with his stumps. 



Dr. W. made what inquiry he could into the manner of their life and food, 

 before this misfortune befel them : but he could not discover any thing to which 

 he could attribute this very surprizing attack. They lived, as the country people 

 do, on dried peas, pickled pork, bread and cheese, milk and small beer. The 

 man was a day labourer, and the woman and children spun, and by their indus- 

 try and sobriety maintained themselves very well. There was no reason to ap- 

 prehend that these poor people had suffered by being exposed to severe cold, as 

 the beginning of January was remarkably mild. It is not very uncommon for 



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