C 523 ] 
LXXXIII. FxtraEl of a Letter from Charl- 
ton Wollafton, M. D . F. R. S. to Wil- 
liam Heberden, M. D . F. R. S. dated 
Bury St. Edmund’s, April 13, 1762, re- 
lating to the Cafe of Mortif cation of Limbs : 
in a Family at Wattifham in Suffolk. . 
Read^ April 22, JOHN Downing, a poor labouring ; 
J man, who lives at Wattifham, a 
fmall village about fixteen miles from Bury, in Ja- 
nuary laft had a wife and fix, children ; the eldeft, a . 
girl, about fifteen years of age, the youngeft about four 
months. They were alfo at that time very healthy, 
as the man himfelf, and his neighbours, affined me. 
On Sunday, the ioih of January, the elded: girl 
complained, in the morning, of a pain in her left ieg; 
particularly, in the calf of the leg. Towards evening, 
the pain grew exceedingly violent. The fame even- 
ing, another girl, about ten years old, complained of 
the fame violent pain in the leg. On the Monday, 
the mother and another child, and on the Tuefday, 
all the reft of the family, except the father, were af- 
fe&ed in the fame manner. The pain was exceed- 
ingly violent; infomuch, that the whole neighbour- 
hood was alarmed with the loudnefs of their fhrieks.. 
The left leg of moft of them was only affe&ed ; but 
in fome, both legs. The little child was taken from, 
its mother’s bread:, as foon as fhe was taken ill, and. 
lived a few weeks. The nurfe told me, it feemed to 
be in violent pain, and that its legs were black before 
death. 
I was. 
