20 PATHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 



with rigor, which was fucceeded by a feverifh paroxyfm, that 

 frequently returned for three days ; his pulfe became conflantly 

 quick, and he died the twenty-eighth day. His friends would 

 not confent to his head being opened. 



Case 5. Alexander H. a lad of eighteen, fell into the hold of 

 a fhip about fifteen feet down, and was carried home in a ftupor. 

 A tumefaction was obferved on the top of the right parietal 

 bone. After a plentiful bleeding, he recovered of the ftupor ; 

 a laxative was given, and he was bled again in the evening. 

 On the third day, the ftupor returned ; and, on the evening of 

 that day, I was called in, when there was every fymptom of 

 eompremon of the brain, and next morning Dr Monro and 

 Dr Austin were lent for. It was then judged proper to exa- 

 mine the ftate of the right parietal bone, where the tumefaction 

 was at firft obferved. No fracture could be found ; but a piece 

 of the bone was taken out by the trepan. Nothing was feen that 

 could occafion any preffure. The ftupor, &c. continued, and 

 he died the thirteenth day. Eighteen hours after his death, I 

 went to open his head ; but fuch a degree of putrefaction was 

 come on, that a great part of the brain had come out of the 

 hole in the bone, quite diflblved and putrid. The teguments were 

 taken off, but no fracture was found in any part of the head. 



Case 6. A failor boy of fourteen fell into the hold of a fhip. 

 He was carried afhore in a ftupor. There was a fwelling on 

 the middle of the right parietal bone, without any wound. 

 He was bled, and put to bed ; and, in half an hour, was fo 

 much recovered, that it was thought unneceffary to infpect the 

 ftate of the bone. He was ordered a laxative to take in the 

 night ; but next morning it had not operated. It was then re- 

 peated ; and in the evening he appeared very well ; but there 

 feemed to be a degree of torpor in the inteftinal canal, from the 



laxatives 



