AND HEM ARKS' ON THAT DISEASE. 327 
caused by the sudden opening of the door produced such an effect 
upon him, that he rushed out of the room as if he were mad. It 
was the frequent return of the difficulty of breathing that induced 
her to bring him to the hospital. 
I was, of course, very cautious in making inquiry respecting 
any bite which he might have received ; and I began by asking if 
he had been hurt in any way; but though this was only in a 
whisper, and behind several gentlemen who were standing at the 
bedside, I immediately learned that there was no occasion for re¬ 
serve on the subject, as he was quite indifferent to the matter. He 
denied to me having been bitten by any dog or cat, or, indeed, 
having been in the way of receiving any such injury. As he not 
only had pock-marks, but was even seamed by the small-pox, it 
was impossible to say whether any of the scars upon his face and 
hands were attributable to another cause. It was afterwards dis¬ 
covered, when persons who had known the patient, and had not 
been seen at the hospital, were examined at the coroner’s inquest, 
that he had been bitten by two dogs, and by one respecting which 
there are some suspicions. It was a strange terrier which he had 
picked up in the street at Christmas last, and carried home to his 
master’s with the intention of keeping it. During the night, on 
account of the dog’s making a noise and gnawing the door, the 
boy went out to quiet it, and was bitten in the hand: the dog 
was afterwards driven from the premises, and has not since been 
seen or heard of by the boy or his master. 
As it was desirable that the boy should be kept as tranquil as 
possible, he was removed from the ward into the private room of 
sister George. Dr. Roots, recollecting that there was sufficient 
evidence of the failure of all the narcotics employed in this coun¬ 
try, and that lead had been spoken favourably of, and had not, 
at any rate, been repeatedly tried, intended at first to treat the 
case with the latter. Some of the superacetate, dissolved in a 
minute quantity of water, was put upon a lump of sugar and of¬ 
fered him in a teaspoon; but he absolutely refused to swallow it, 
declaring that he could not; and becoming so distressed at the 
request, that the sudden inspiration, followed by convulsive sobs, 
took place, and he was greatly agitated. It was determined, 
therefore, to give the lead in a clyster; but as it was desirable 
that the bowels should be cleared before medicines were adminis¬ 
tered in that way, an injection, containing some ounces of oil of 
turpentine, was administered, containing, however, a portion of 
lead. In order that as little time as possible might be lost, and to 
introduce still more ofthe lead into the system, thecutisof thechest 
was denuded by producing a large vesication, through the medium 
of a flat-bottomed metal bason, filled with boiling water, placed 
