1801.] 
One of the cafes of melancholia recorded 
in the lift of difeafes, is deferving of atten- 
tion, from the circumftance of the patient’s 
not having been affli&ted with it until after 
the deprivation of his fight. The reflec- 
tion upon that lofs could not fail for a time 
to have been itfelf a courfe of uneafy feel- 
ings. Bat the continuance of his depref- 
fion might perhaps be better accounted 
for by his not being any longer able, in 
confequence of this lofs, to puriue his ufual 
active employment, by its withdrawing 
from him the natural and exhilarating fti- 
mulus of light, and by its precluding alto- 
gether the poffibility of that amutement 
and diverfion of mind, which in general is 
fo conftantly derived from the’ contempla- 
tion of external objets. By confining the 
fenfibility within a {maller compafs, it con- 
dented and increafed its force. 
A cafe occurred which the phyfician who 
was confulted with regard to it, fulpected 
to be an aneuri(m of the aorta. But from 
a degree of diffidence with regard to the 
accuracy of his conclufion, he had recourfe 
for a removal of his doubts, to the advice 
of a refpeétable furgeon*, who, after an 
attentive examination, having formed 
more decidedly the fame opinion, f{cru- 
pled not inftantly to pronounce the fen- 
tence of {peedy death upon the unfortunate 
patient. ; 
Since that time, however, there has oc- 
curred ftrong reafen to believe that the 
complaint was merely a nervous affection. 
It appears to have originated from diftrefs 
of mind; it was induced often, and always 
was ageravated by any thing that agitated 
her fpirits ; it was accompanied by Bor- 
borigmi; all thefe fymptoms uniformly 
increafed or diminifhed together; for about 
ten weeks they have all been gradually 
difappearing, and for this laft fortnight 
liave fearcely been felt at allin confequence 
as it is reafonable to fuppofe, of the re- 
membrance of the painful circumftances, 
from which her diforder had at firft origi- 
nated, having, during that time, be- 
come more feeble, and. alfo perhaps from. 
a favourable change that, according to her 
and, to ufe the words of the gentleman through 
whofe medium it was tranfmitted, ‘+ to be 
difiributed in fmall fums proportioned to the 
number of. farving children.” ; 
* If the name of the gentleman alluded to 
was to be mentioned, it would not only give an 
additional confirmation to the faét, but alfo 
would demonftrate to the public the extreme 
uncommonefs of a cafe that could have been 
miftaken by a perfon of his profeffional learns 
ing and {2gacity, 
Lift of Difeafs. 
61 
own account, had lately taken place in the 
ftate of her external circumftances. 
_ In many difeafes, efpeciaily in thofe that 
are called nervous, a fufpenfion of the 
fymptoms has, not unfrequently been found 
to occur in confequence of the fame, or 
indeed, any other complaint attacking one 
who is particularly near and interefting to 
the patient. Even in cafes of fever, a 
mother feldom finds herfelf fick until the 
ficknefs of her child is over. The atten- 
tion and anxiety which is conftantly kept 
up, does not prevent the body from re- 
ceiving contagion, but often it prevents 
the mind from being for fome time aware 
of its influence. No fooner however does 
the recovery of the child take place than, 
in general, it is fucceeded by the indifpe- 
fition of the parent ; which, although it 
has beendelayed, cannot fail to be aggra- 
vated and rendered ftill more dangerous by 
the extreme degree of labour, watchful- 
nefs, and folicitude that’ had immediately 
preceded its attack. : 
In the remarks which, in a former part 
of this report, have been made with re- 
gard to the ufe of ftimuli in cafes of def- 
perate difeafe, it was far from the inten- 
tion of the writer to encourage a recourfe 
to them ina ftate of health and vigour. 
The application of any extraordinary fti- 
mulus to the human fyftem mutt invariably 
abridge the period of its poffible duration. 
But at the moment when it is about tobe 
extinguifhed, it is neceflary to dow the 
flame of life, although by that means you 
confume a part of the fuel that is neceflary 
to its fupport. 
The grand obje& to be attended to in 
what is vulgarly denominated a low fever, 
is by artificial means to give, fora time, 
a degree of itrength that may fupport the_ 
patient during the period of his firuggle 
with death. 
The fiimulating mode of practice feems 
to be particularly fuited to the conftitution 
of thofe who live under the influence of the 
fedative atmofphere of the metropolis. 
In London it is fcarcely poflible for a man 
to receive into his lungs a draught of air 
that has not been in fome other perfon’s 
lungs before. This fecoud hand air is not 
on!y always injurious to health, but fome- 
times proves almoft immediately deftruc- 
tive of exiftence. - 
Tt is a circumftance well worthy of re- 
mark, that out of the multitude of cafes - 
that within the extent of the Finfbury di- 
firiét have, for this laft year, been attacked 
by typhoid contagion, few, comparatively, 
have fallen victims to it, but thofe whofe 
previous habits of debauchery or intemper- 
ance 
