[ 80 ] 
a confirmed cancer. It was Profeflor Winter, who 
acquainted Dr. Lambergen, that he had heard M. 
Degner, a celebrated phyfician at Nimeguen, fpeak 
of the Bella-donna, as a fovereign remedy againft 
inveterate fchirri j adding, neverthelefs, that he had 
never tried it himfelf. 
In fuch a cafe as this, where death feemed inevi- 
table, a dangerous remedy is to be preferred to none 
at ail. Dr. Lambergen therefore determined to try 
it upon his patient ; but, knowing the character, 
which the plant bore, he refolved to try the effedts 
of it upon himfelf firft. To this end, he poured ten 
tea- cups of water upon a fcruple of the leaves, which 
had been gathered and dried three years : he let it 
ftand all night lukewarm. Of this inftiflon he took 
half a tea-cup full, being the twentieth part of the 
whole, in the morning failing ; but perceived no 
eftedt from it. This determined him the next morn- 
ing to double the dofe ; which produced a flight ver- 
tigo, and for an hour or two an uncommon drynefs 
in his mouth. Being thus prepared, as he knew his 
patient had but a weak nervous fyftem, he deter- 
mined to begin with caution. 
It was the 14th day of January 1745, that fhe 
took the firfi dofe, being one tea-cup full. It had 
the fame effedt upon her, as it had had on her phy- 
fician ; and moreover rendered her pulfe weaker and 
quicker than ufual. For fevcn mornings fucceflively 
lhe took the fame dofe, which, in general, produced 
the fame effedt. At the fame time the plafler was 
renewed, with the addition of a few grains of opium. 
Under this method her pain was mitigated ; but, 
before the latter end of the week, returned again 
more 
* 
