Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol. 3: containing a collection of curious travels, voyages, and natural histories of countries as they have been delivered in to the Royal SocietyRoyal Society (Great Britain)
History
Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol. 3: containing a collection of curious travels, voyages, and natural histories of countries as they have been delivered in to the Royal Society
Royal Society (Great Britain)
Natural history; Science -- Early works to 1800; Voyages and travels -- Early works to 1800
the Morning when he should have got up, he could not stand, whereupon
the Apothecary was sent for, and a Surgeon to Blood him, which was
accordingly done, but he grew worse; for in this Case I look upon
Bleeding to be very prejudicial, as well as in most Malignant Fevers,
for thereby the Spirits are diminished, and the Blood congeal'd the
sooner. When they had done all they could, and the Symptoms still
increased, they at length sent for me. I never saw Man or Creature in
that Agony in all my life, that I found him in, Senseless, and Mad,
when at best, but every Minute the fiercest shiverings ran through him,
his Eyes would first roll and then set, as if ready to start out of his
Head, but above all, the Swelling and Luctation at his Breast, was as
if he would burst, which went off with a prodigious sigh: All this I
judge the Effects of the Heart labouring to discharge it self of the
stagnating Blood, and the Nervous Convulsions as consequences thereof.
And I am the more confirm'd in this, from what I saw in a Woman that
was bit also with a Mad-Dog in the Leg, and fell ill the very day that
she had paid the Chirurgeon for her Cure; and notwithstanding all that
could be done, growing worse, they sent for me; I went, and found her
with what is called a _Hydrophobia_: She would look earnestly after
Drink or Water, and seem to desire it, but as soon as she began to
drink, away it went, be it what it would, with the greatest Violence
she could possibly fling it. I gave her the Vomit hereafter and also
before mentioned, but she got but little of it down, and I had no
more with me; nevertheless it so brought her to her self, that she
could answer Questions, and I asked her, whether she was afraid of
the Drink and Water, when she flung the Cups in that violent manner
from her? She said No; but when she offered to drink, her Breast and
Heart would not let her. I asked, whether through any Aversion or
Fear? She said, No, she was very Thirsty; but when she offered to
drink, it struck to her Heart, and stopped her Breath. That is, as I
apprehend, the cold Drink passing down the Throat struck a chillness
in the Blood, and made it readier to stagnate: Besides the very act of
Drinking, hindering the free breathing, conduced also much thereto;
and therefore the Heart was so suddenly oppress'd, that she could not
forbear flinging away whatever she had in her Hand. She complained also
of a great rigour and stiffness or straitness of the Muscles of her
Breast, so that possibly the Spiritous Liquor that flows in the _Genus
Nervosum_ may be congeal'd as well as the Blood; or the same Effects
may be supposed notwithstanding to be the result of the condensed
Blood clogging both the Heart and Lungs, so that the Breast may seem
to be straitened therewith. The same I judge to be the cause of all
the violent Luxations in this Gentleman, whose Fingers I looked on,
and found the places where he had formerly been bit, turned blackish,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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