[ 4»3 ] 
A Letter of John Huxham, M. D . F. R . S. to Mr*' 
William Watfon, F. R. S. concerning the Cafe of 
the Man , who fwailowed melted Lead . 
Dear Sir, 
Read Feb. 5, T Think there are few things remarkable, 
175 ' A in art or nature, in this part of the coun- 
try, that do not, fobner or later, come to my know- 
ledge. Our worthy commiffioner, Fred. Rogers, Efq;. 
fent me the lead you mention, three days after it was 
faid to be taken out of the man (Hall) who was faid 
to have fwailowed it. I immediately fent for Mr. 
Edward Spry, an ingenious young furgeon, of this 
town, who attended this Hall during his illnefs, and 
extracted the lead from his flomach (as was reported)’ 
when dead, Mr. Spry folemnly allured me, that he 
did actually take the lead, that was fent me, out of 
the man’s flomach, and offered to make oath of it. 
This Hall lived twelve days after the accident hap- 
pened, and fwailowed feveral things, Tolid and li- 
quid, during that time ; and he fpoke tolerably plain,, 
tho’ his voice was very hoarfe. And he conffantly 
affirmed, that he had fwailowed melted lead. 
However, as the ffory feemed very extraordinary, 
and not a little improbable, I did not chufe to tranf- 
mit any account of it to the Royal Society, as I could- 
have wiffied for more unexceptionable evidence 5 for 
Mr. Spry had no one with him, when he did extract 
the lead, but one woman, Philips, the daughter 
of Hall, and another woman, who were alfo in the 
houle, not being able, as Faid, to fee the opera- 
tion, but immediately called in after it, and Mr. Spry 
ffiewed them the lead. I fent a very fen lible gentleman 
to* 
