francis' cases of morbid anatomy. 523 



In December he was often under the necessity of ejecting the con- 

 tents of his stomach two or three times a day, and so enfeebled were the 

 powers of digestion, that a cup of common gruel would induce him to 

 make efforts to vomit. The quantity of the material discharged by the 

 stomach was nearly equal to the amount of food taken, which rendered 

 it conclusive, that, only a very small portion of his aliment entered into 

 the intestines. At this period his mind participated in the diseased 

 condition of his corporeal system, and for the remainder of his sickness 

 he laboured under extreme lowness of spirits, fully convinced, as he 

 said, that he should never recoVer his former health. 



His attacks of vomiting became more frequent during the months of 

 January and February. He continued to complain of great and more 

 uniform pain in the region of the scrobiculus cordis, where something 

 like a circumscribed tumour was felt. He most generally ejected about 

 half an hour after swallowing ; the food thus discharged had undergone 

 but very little alteration by the digestive process, and was mixed with 

 some viscid matter. If he attempted to seek repose by lying on his 

 right side, extreme nausea and vomiting were inevitable. Although 

 his exertions to eject required no labour, yet the materials thus 

 thrown up, were discharged with violence, in a projectile manner, 

 and at the distance of many feet. After vomiting he experienced 

 some few moments' exemption from distress. His bowels were 

 obstinately costive ; the urinary secretion small in quantity, and high 

 coloured ; his constitution much enfeebled, and his emaciation very 

 considerable. Some attempts, as I ascertained, were made at this 

 stage of his disorder, to subject his system to the action of mercury, 

 but these attempts proved unsuccessful. Sedative medicines availed 

 but little, and active cathartics were required to excite the intestinal 

 canal to its wonted functions. He now had great desire for nutriment, 

 but the anxiety he felt on account of the vomiting that was sure to take 



