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XLIII. An Account of what appeared on 
Opening the Body of an aflhmatic Perfon : 
By W. Watfon, M. D. F. R S. ' 
To the Royal Society. 
Gentlemen, 
^^1764 [2> /\ ^ nothing tends more to illuflrate 
./"CIl the nature of uncommon difeafes 
than the examination of morbid bodies after death, 
I take the liberty of communicating the following 
hiflory. 
Mr. W. aged twenty eight, confulted me at the 
latter end of November 1763. He had for about 
two months laboured under great difficulty of re- 
fpiration, for which he had taken great variety of 
medicines without any relief. He had been largely 
bled, which, without helping his refpiration, had 
greatly depreffed and weakened him. The air of 
the country, where he had relided fome time, made 
not the leaf! alteration in his complaint, which daily 
grew worfe. 
When I faw him, his breathing was exceedingly 
difficult; the heat of his fleffi moderate; his pulfe 
too quick, beating about an hundred ffiokes in a 
minute, and withall low and thready, indicating 
great want of fluid in the arterial fyflem. He coughed 
veiy frequently, and what he expectorated was vi- 
fcid; but neither purulent nor bloody, and in no 
great quantity. He was without thirft. His nights 
were almoA without fleep, on account of the diffi- 
culty 
