t 5 8 4 ] 
tlie vapour of warm water hath a great power of in- 
finuating itfelf into the pores, and between the fibres, 
of bodies; and, by that means, of relaxing andfoft- 
ening the hardefl lubflances, as is obferv’d in dry lea- 
ther ; which, fufpended in the fleam of boiling water, 
becomes much more foft and pliable, than if it had 
been immers’d for a longer time in the hot water 
itfelf. A vapour bath was therefore order’d, and 
contriv'd in fuch a manner, that the fleam of the boil- 
ing water might intirely furround the body of the pa- 
tient, or be directed to any particular part, as occasion 
lhould require. She bore the vapour without any 
inconvenience, and was conflantly kept in bed in the 
intervals between the feveral applications of it. The 
fixth time of ufing this kind of bath, fhe began to 
perfpire a little, and, from day to day, the perfpira- 
tion grew more general, and at laft univerfal : Then 
the fkin began to be lefs rough, but not lefs hard ; 
and the urine was more thin and diluted than before. 
Her diet was preferib’d to be of the mofl foft and 
relaxing nature, and principally confifled of whey. 
As flie was judg’d to be of too full a habit, and as fhe 
had not the regular menilrual dilcharge, fhe was or- 
der’d to lofe twelve ounces of blood from the foot; 
and it was thought, that this evacuation might contri- 
bute to produce a general relaxation, and, by confe- 
quence, make the circulation of the blood, and other 
fluids, more free and eafy through their refpedive ca- 
nals. It was furprifing to fee what difficulty the fur- 
geon found in opening the vein, on account of the 
hardnefs of the fkin ; infomuch that, in the opera- 
tion, the lancet yielded, and bent. However, at laft, 
itt pierced the fkin, and the vein, but not without a 
good 
