VOL. LXVII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 123 



her breasts were round and prominent, like those of a healthy young woman; 

 her legs, arms, and thighs, not at all emaciated ; the abdomen somewhat tumid, 

 and the muscles tense; her knees bent, and her ham-strings tight as a bow- 

 string; her heels almost close to the nates. When they struggled with her, to 

 put a little water within lier lips, they observed sometimes a dewy softness on 

 her skin; she slept much, and very quietly; but when awake kept a constant 

 whimpering like a new-born weakly infant, and sometimes m.ade an effort to 

 cough. At the date of this account (June 1767) no degree of strength could 

 force open her jaws. Dr. M. put the point of his little linger into the gap in her 

 teeth, and found the tongue, as far as he could reach, soft and moist; as he did 

 with his other fingers the mouth and cheeks quite to the back teeth. She never 

 could remain a moment on her back, but always fell to one side or the other; 

 and when her mother sat behind her in the bed, and supported her while he was 

 examining her body, her head hung down, with her chin close to her breast, nor 

 could he with any force move it backwards, the anterior muscles of the neck be- 

 ing rigid, like a person in the emprosthotonos, and in this posture she con- 

 stantly lay. 



The above case was taken in writing, at the diseased woman's bed side, from 

 the mouths of her father and mother, who were known to be people of veracity, 

 and under no temptation to deceive : their daughter's situation was a great mor- 

 tification to them, and universally known and regretted by all their neighbours. 

 Dr. M. had along with him for interpreters, as the family spoke only Erse 

 Mr. Henry Robertson, son to the minister of the parish, and David Ross, their 

 neighbour, and one of the elders of the parish, who verified from his own know- 

 ledge all that is above related. The situation and appearances of the patient 

 were carefully examined the 21st of October, 1767, by Dr. M. who likewise in 

 October, 1171, being informed that the patient was recovering, visited her, and 

 found her condition to be as follows ; about a year preceding this last date, her 

 parents one day returning from their country labours (having left their daughter 

 as for some years before fixed to her bed) were greatly surprized to find her 

 sitting on her hams, on the side of the house opposite to her bed place, spinning 

 with her mother's distaff. Dr. M. asked, whether she ever ate or drank .'' whe- 

 ther she had any of the natural evacuations ? whether she ever spoke or attempted 

 to speak ? And was answered, that she sometimes crumbled a bit of oat or barley 

 cake in the palm of her hand, as if to feed a chicken ; that she put little crumbs 

 of this into the gap of her teeth, rolled them about for some time in her mouth, 

 and then sucked out of the palm of her hand a little water, whey, or milk ; and 

 this, once or twice a day, and even that by compulsion : that the egesta were in 

 proportion to the ingesta ; that she never attempted to speak ; that her jaws 

 were still fast locked, her hamstrings tight as before, and her eyes shut. On 



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