A Remarkable Account of a Liver, apfearingOhn- 
duious to the Eye-, communicated by W John 
Brown , Chirurgeon of Thomas's HoS^itall in 
Southwark^ in a Letter to one of the Sccretarys 
of the Royal Society. 
Sir, 
I Send you here the figure of the Liver of an Hydro- 
pical Perfon, a Patient of o\xt Hofpttall, (as it was 
accurately taken by M' Faithorn,) which I thought fo 
curious as to be worthy the notice of the JR^yal Society, 
and therefore have prefumed to communicate it to you. 
The Perfon was about 2f years of age, a Soldier in 
one of his Maje[iys Regiments here in Town ; who 
contradted his diftemper by drinking much water, 
when he could not ftirr from his duty, and catching 
cold at nights in being upon the ^uard : He was under 
the care of our Phyficians for iome time, by whofe di- 
rections his (wellings did by times abate ; but afterwards 
it wasobferved, that the method which had been be- 
neficiall to others, had not here the like (uccefs, his 
fwellings returning upon him as before i fo that there 
was nothing more now to be thought of, but aP^r^?- 
centhefis j which operation however we judged very ha- 
zardous, by reafonofthe time of the year 5 and for that 
the Patient was very much emaciated yet he being fo 
much fwell'd, that it was uneafy to him to ly i.n his 
bed, he importuiid us very often, and with great ear- 
neftnefs,that the Operation might be performed. Where- 
upon we taking HippQcrates rule. In cafu ancipiti pr^- 
flat l^emedium ancepSy quam mlbim and thinking it 
better to attempt a cure that might be but barely po{- 
fible, then to abandon him to the certain expeiilation 
