4 
I. Jn Jccomit of the DiJfeEllon of a Child, Com^ 
municated in a Letter to Dr, Brook Taylor, 
S. Seer, Dr, Patrick Blair, fi. 5. 
A S nothing is more apt to lead us to the Know- 
ledge of the feveral Diftempers which affedl the 
Human Body, and to acquaint us with the juft Prog- 
nofticks of the like Cafes, than the opening of dift* 
*. cmper*d Perfons. I hop’d it would not be an unaccepta- 
ble inftance of my Zeal and Readineft to ferve the 
Moft Honourable the Royal Society upon all occafions, 
: CO defire you to prefent them with the following ac' 
; count of the Diftedion 1 lately made of a Child. 
This Child was five Months old, and was fo craa- 
: dated, that he appear’d rather to have decreafed, than 
CO have encreafed in Bulk, from the time of his 
Birth; his whole Body not weighing above five Pounds. 
1 The Skin and Muftles of the Abdomen were vefy 
i thin, but the Peritoneum was preternaturally thick. 
’ Tbe Ventriculus was more like to dn Inteftin than to 
a Stomach, its length being five Inches, and its breadth 
but one Inch. The Coats of it were thick and flelhy, 
and the Cavity very inconfiderable. The Pylorus, and 
almoft half of the Duodenum were Cartilaginous, and 
fomething inclin’d to an Oftification, lb that no Nou- 
rilhment could have pafted into the Inteftins, tho’the 
Stomach had been capable of containing it, which 
makes it no Wonder that the Body was fo emaciated. 
There were fcarce any foot-fteps of the Omentum to 
be'feen, even at the Bottom of the Stomach, to which 
it ufually adheres. 
The 
