302i' i'HILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1778. 



wished to inspect was presented obliquely to him, that on this first indistinct 

 view of it, before either eye could be turned towards it, it would appear much 

 more brilliant and distinct to the contrary eye, than to that nearest the object, 

 as so great a part of it would now fall on tiie large insensible part of that eye. 

 This must naturally induce him to view it with the opposite eye, to which it 

 already appeared more brilliant and distinct : ami this to him would be so n)uch 

 easier to accomplish, as the insensible part of the neglected eye was large enough 

 to receive as great a part of an object as is usually viewed at once with accuracy, 

 and hence would not confuse the vision of the other, • 



Dr. D. adds that, by wearing the artificial nose, he had greatly corrected thfe 

 habit of viewing objects with the eye farthest from them ; and had more and 

 more acquired the voluntary power ot directing both his eyes to the same object, 

 particularly if the object were not more than 4 or 5 feet from him ; and would, 

 he believed, by resolute perseverance, entirely correct this unsightly deformity. 



/'*. Cure of a Muscular Contraction by Electricity. By M. Partington, p. Q7. 



Miss Lingfield's head was drawn down over her right shoulder; the back part 

 of it was twisted so far round, that her face turned obliquely towards the opposite 

 side ; by which deformity she was disabled from seeing her feet, or the steps as 

 she came down stairs. The sterno-mastoideus muscle was in a state of contrac- 

 tion and rigidity. She had no material pain on this side of her neck; but owing 

 to the extreme tension of the teguments of the left side, she had a pain conti- 

 nually, and often it was very violent, particularly in sudden changes of the wea- 

 ther. Her pulse was weak, quick, and irregular. She was subject to a great 

 irritability, had frequently a little fever, which came on in an evening, and left 

 her before morning; her spirits were generally exceedingly oppressed, and at 

 times she was slightly paralytic. She dated the origin of her disorder at some- 

 thing more than 2 years from that period. She was suddenly seized, going out 

 of a warm room into the cold air, with a pain on the back of her head, which 

 admitted of small abatement for some months, contracting gradually the muscles 

 to a melancholy deformity; and though all prudent means had been used to 

 subdue it, and she strictly observed every article prescribed by the faculty, she 

 was rather worse. 



Mr. P. urged her to try electricity; and though the weather was tempestuous, 

 she was electrified by him, the first time, Feb. 18, 1777- He drew strong 

 sparks from the parts aflected for about 4 minutes, which brought on a very pro- 

 fuse perspiration, a circumstance she had not been used to, which seemed to 

 relax the mastoideus muscle to a considerable degree; but, as the sparks gave 

 h(>r a good deal of {)ain, he desisted Irom drawing them, and only subjected her 



