Vulgarly called the MUMPS. 63 



tween the uterus, and we fuppofe its appendages, and the 

 mamma?. On this matter, however, I ihall not pretend to 

 decide. 



The mumps made its appearance in an epidemic form at 

 Lvnn in 1758, and remained feveral years afterwards. It was 

 chiefly confined to the fpring months. In the year 1 761, it pre- 

 vailed very much. Two companies of the Norfolk regiment of 

 militia were quartered here, and put under my care. It raged 

 more among thefe foldiers, in proportion to their number, than 

 amongft the inhabitants of the town. I was very feldom with- 

 out feven or eight of thefe men upon my lift, ill of the mumps. 

 After 1 76 1, it began to decline. It, however, made its appear- 

 ance in fpring and autumn, more or lefs as an epidemic, for 

 feveral years afterwards ; but the number afflicted with it 

 became gradually lefs : And fome fporadic cafes were to be 

 met with many years after the epidemical appearance of it had 

 ceafed. 



It muft be ingenuoufly confeffed, that on the firft appearance 

 of this (to me) new difeafe, I was much at a lofs how to treat 

 it. In vain I fearched in many authors for its hiftory and cure. 

 That fhort account given by Mr Gooch, in his Cafes and Re- 

 marks in Surgery, published firft about this time, was the only 

 one I could find ; and that was too defective to form from it 

 any general method of cure of a difeafe much more formidable 

 in its appearance here, than that mild fpecies of it which feem- 

 ed to have fallen under his care, and gave way fo readily to the 

 antiphlogiftic method of cure. Obfervation foon taught me 

 that this plan was not only infufficient, but hurtful ; and that 

 large evacuations, with a view to reduce the tumors and pro- 

 mote their difcufTion, did oftener harm than good ; the changes 

 which take place in a bad kind of this difeafe, from the falivary 

 glands to the teftes, and from thefe to the brain, appearing to 

 be more frequent and dangerous, when evacuations were freely 



and 



