AND REMARKS ON THAT DISEASE. 333 
tient refused to take even a lump of sugar into his mouth. The 
most characteristic, indeed, the peculiar feature of the disease— 
that which is, perhaps, pathognomonic—is the effect produced on 
the diaphragm and muscles of the throat by the slightest draught 
of air, the smallest sudden drop of fluid, or even by the slightest 
sudden touch that may be made with the finger upon any part of the 
body * 1 . It was a knowledge of this fact which led Dr. Roots to 
discover so early as he did the nature of the disease ; and I must 
remark, that I think it reflected great credit on his carefulness 
and his sagacity. Had he contented himself, when the boy com¬ 
plained of difficulty of breathing and mentioned having struck 
his side, with merely telling the lad to take a deep inspiration, 
and merely pressing his side w T ith his hand, he would not, per¬ 
haps, have understood the case ; but by exposing the patient's 
chest, and standing by to make observations while blood was 
taken from the arm, he came to a knowledge of the effect of air 
blowing upon the patient: and had he not been acutely alive to 
this characteristic mark, had he not known that this was at least as 
peculiar to the disease as the effect of the attempt at swallowing 
fluids, he would have allowed it to pass unheeded, and might 
not, until the next day, been informed that the patient had 
manifested a dread of liquids. He, however, at once saw the na¬ 
ture of the disease, and then ascertained the effect of an attempt at 
taking fluids into the stomach, merely to corroborate the justness 
of his opinion. The effect of the cold air, etc., even that of a fly 
settling suddenly upon the skin, of a sudden strong light, the 
least agitation of the bed or bed-clothes, very much resembles 
that produced on us all, upon stepping into a cold-bath. A 
sudden and involuntary inspiration is made, followed by several 
with comparatively little reluctance or difficulty, and that fluids 
alone excite these horrible spasms, from being brought into more 
extensive and intimate conduct with the inflamed and irritable 
surface.—W. Y. 
1 This effect on the diaphragm is produced by sympathy with 
the membrane lining the pharynx and larynx, which, in this dis¬ 
ease, is in a state of extreme irritability. There is nothing like it 
in the dog, because the functions of these parts are more simple. 
The intonations of the voice are in this quadruped, without 
comparison, more limited, and a supplementary mechanism is 
given for the production of the voice ; while it is a law of nature, 
that where less work is to be performed, less energy and sen¬ 
sibility are bestowed.—W. Y. 
VOL. in. Y V 
