*J02 fHILOSOPHICAL TKANSACTIONS. [aNNO 176^. 



drops of T. Thebaica, in a very small vehicle, which she swallowed with great 

 difficulty. He then applied a large blister to her back, but without any relief. 

 Soon after she was seized with frequent convulsions, which for the time deprived 

 her of her senses; and though in the intervals they were quite perfect, and her 

 jaw not quite so shut, but a little might be put into her mouth by a tea-spoon; 

 yet so great were the spasms, that she never after could swallow any thing; and 

 in this manner she continued, with short remission of the spasms till 2 o'clock 

 the next day, Monday the 4th, when death put an end to her misery. He was 

 afterwards told, that an hour before she died, she could open her jaw, at which 

 she seemed to be greatly rejoiced; but it was of a short duration, the convulsions 

 again returning, and a universal one carried her off. 



That a locked jaw should often be the consequence of an external wound, is 

 nothing new; several cases having happened that put it beyond doubt; but that 

 symptoms should come on after a slight contused wound that had been cured for 

 4 or 5 days, and make such a rapid progress, as to carry off the patient, in 

 little more than 48 hours after the first appearance of the symptoms, is very re 

 markable. We are certainly much in the dark in regard to the nervous system; 

 but Mr. W. thinks it a strong presumption, that from the first impression of 

 the nail, the nerves were so peculiarly affected, that though the irritation was 

 not sufficient to hinder the external wound from healing, yet it might be suf- 

 ficient to dispose them to suffer those violent agitations, which ended so fatally. 



XI f^. Of a Beautiful Chinese Pheasant ; the Feathers and Drawing of which 



were sent from Canton to John Fothergill, M. D., F. R. S. By Mr. George 



Edwards, F.R.S. p. 88. 



The Argus is a species of the pheasant, the largest of that genus yet known, 

 being equal in size to a full grown turkey-cock, from one of the most northern 

 provinces of China. It is probably a male bird, from the beautiful red skin on 

 the forepart of the head, and its fine blue changeable crest and neck ; the 

 females of all the different species of pheasants yet discovered having little or no 

 gaudy colours about their heads. 



The beak is made like that of our pheasant, of a yellowish-white colour : the 

 forepart of the head, and the beginning of the throat, is covered with a fine 

 scarlet skin, seemingly void of feathers, but is rough with a kind of grain. The 

 irides of the eyes are orange-coloured, more yellow next the pupil, and redder 

 in their outer circumference ; the skin round the eye is dusky, or black : it has 

 also blackish marks proceeding from the corners of the mouth; the top and 

 hinder part of the head and neck are of a fine blue changeable colour: it has a 

 crest of long loose feathers, which it can probably raise or lower at pleasure: the 

 lower part of the neck, the back, and covert feathers of the wings, are covered 



