326 A CASE OF HYDROPHOBIA, 
quiet, with his head partly under the bed-clothes as before, and 
having his eyes closed, I held my hand, with the points of the 
fing ;ers extended towards his forehead, and on merely bending 
the fingers down towards the palm of the hand, keeping the arm 
and all the rest of the hand perfectly still, sufficient agitation of 
the air was produced to make him instantly open his eyes, take a 
sudden inspiration, feel choked, experience a succession of con¬ 
vulsive sobs, and express the same agony of countenance as be¬ 
fore, asking me why I did so, and imploring me not to draw the 
wind upon him in that way. I could not hesitate for a moment 
to coincide with Dr. Roots as to the nature of the case. 
The following account was given me of what had taken place : 
The boy had been brought to the hospital that morning by his 
mother, on account of a difficulty of breathing; and it was stated, 
that he had fallen down while carrying a sack of coals on board a 
barge a week previous, and hurt his chest. Dr. Roots, after his 
coat and waistcoat were unbuttoned, and his shirt was opened, 
touched the part of his side where he said he had been hurt, when 
he instantly shuddered, and a catching of the breath ensued. An 
examination was made, to ascertain whether this pain was occa¬ 
sioned by the fracture of a rib, or by some other cause ; but nothing 
was discovered, and twelve ounces of blood were taken from the 
arm. While standing by the patient during this operation, Dr. 
Roots pulled out his snuff-box; the agitation of the air occasioned 
by this action produced a similar affection of the organs of respi¬ 
ration, as I have already stated I produced myself. Dr. Roots, 
in consequence, at once suspected the true nature of the case, 
and ascertained that a draught of air invariably had this effect 
A looking-glass was sent for, and the reflection of light cast from 
it upon the boy’s face, produced the same sudden inspiration and 
convulsive sobs. He gazed at it intently for a few seconds, hid 
his face with his hands, desired it might be removed, and was 
then seized with the affection of the breath. Some milk was now 
brought him to drink, but the sight of this produced the same 
effect as the cold air and the looking-glass. Upon further inquiry, 
it appeared, that, before Dr. Roots saw him, his mother had taken 
him into the apothecary’s shop, which he refused for some time to 
leave and go to the ward into which he was admitted, declaring 
that he could not bear the cold air out of doors upon his face. 
His mother also stated, that he had been poorly for the last day 
or two; she hardly knew in what way, but said he had been very 
irritable, and complained of pain in the shoulders and breast. 
She further stated, that, early on the morning of his admission, 
he had gone into a room where his brother and sister were quar¬ 
relling, and when she came in to interfere, the draught of air 
