the death of the patient, part of the pharynx was found extended and depressed into a bag: this bag hung down between the vertebræ and the back part of the oesophagus in such a manner, as to contract the opening into the oesophagus, and at last entirely prevent the paffage of aliment into the stomach. The peculiarities of this cafe, are illustrated by three good engravings.

Art. 11. A letter from Dr. Dickson, physician to the London Hofpital, to the members of the Medical Society, containing a fupplement to his memoir on the use of blisters applied to the region of the os facrum, in cases of incontinence of urine.

Dr. Dickfon relates two cases in which the blisters thus applied, had no good effect; nor was it possible indeed that they should; for it was found on dissection, that there was a perforation in the bladder, and an immediate communication thus formed between the bladder and the vagina. Dr. Dickson therefore judiciously observes, that blifters can only be applied with profpect of fuccess, where the incontinence of urine proceeds from a paralytic affection of the bladder.

Art. 12. An aneurysm in the thigh perfectly cured by the operation, and the use of the limb preferved; communicated by Mr. Burchall, furgeon of Manchester, to Dr. William Hunter.

This aneurysm was formed by a puncture of the femoral artery with the point of a pair of sciffars. The tumor became very confiderable; an incifion was made the whole length of the tumor; and the artery was tied up. The limb was for fome time cold and weak; but by degrees became nearly as ftrong and serviceable as the other.

Art. 13. The case of an aneurysmal varix related and described, in two letters from George Cleghorn, M. D. lecturer of anatomy in Dublin, to Dr. William Hunter.

This is a confirmation of that particular species of aneurysm, which is defcribed by Dr. Hunter in the 36th article of the second volume of these Obfervations and Inquiries; and which is formed by an anastamasis or immediate communication between the artery and vein at the part where the patient had been let blood, in confequence of the artery being wounded through the vein, so that the blood passes immediately from the trunk of the artery into the trunk of the vein, and so back to the heart. In these cafes the operation is not necessary = reft, and the application of warm spirits, are generally fufficient to remove the pain and swelling.

• Art. 14. The case of a diseased eye, communicated by Mr. Hayes, furgeon, to Dr. William Hunter.

A very unhappy and diftreffing cafe, attended with a number of painful and very extraordinary symptoms. It proved fatal, and the dissection discovered, that the disease was first seated in

the

the vitreous humour only; and that afterwards it had extended to the coats of the eye.

Art. 15. Two Cafes of incontinency of urine, cured by the application of a blister to the region of the os facrum. By A. Fothergill, of Northampton, M. D. communicated by Dr. Dickson.

One of these cases was complicated with a diabetes; the other with an ulcer in the urinary passages. The blister removed the incontinency of urine; and the other complaints were removed by such remedies as were fuited to the respective cafes.

Art. 16. An account of several bydatides discharged with the urine. By Alexander Ruffel, M. D. F. R. S. and physician to St. Thomas's Hospital.

The symptoms which preceded this fingular appearance were the following: a pain in the left hypogastrium, attended with a fever; the urine of a natural colour, sufficient in quantity, and passed without difficulty. After a few days the patient complained of a violent pain in the region of the left kidney, extending along the ureter, quite to the bladder. There was a total fuppreffion of urine for some hours, a naufea, and vomiting. By proper applications these complaints were in a great measure removed, and he continued well for about a fortnight, when, after using exercise in a carriage, he had frequent and painful motions to make water; pafled little at a time; the urine sometimes stopped, and then immediately came freely again; this continued through the night.

' Next morning, in passing his urine, it came to a full stop, and gave him exquifite pain; but, after a few minutes violent straining, fomething seemed to burit, and a small quantity of a liquid, like pus, streaked with blood, was disch rged; an empty bag, about the fize of a large pigeon's egg, foon followed, after which he passed a great quantity of urine, and was much relieved. His urine deposited a fediment like pus, with some few streaks of blood, for feveral days after, auring which he voided many more smaller hydatides, some of which were round, and about the size of a common garden pea, with a small ftalk.'

He has had several returns, and passed a great number of hydatides, of different sizes, from that of a pigeon's egg to a pin's head: the larger ones are always burst; the smaller, full of a liquid, never quite limpid. In other respects he enjoys a good ftate of health.

Art. 17. The case of a bernia humoralis, communicated to Dr. Broklesby, by Dr. Vaughan of Leicester.

The hernia humoralis is generally supposed to be a disease of the testicle itself. In this instance however it appeared on diffection, that the disease was not feated in the tefticle, but in the tunica vaginalis. The testes and epidydimides were in a pertectly found state, neither discoloured, or the least enlarged in their

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their fize: the whole bulk of the part was made up of the substance of the fcrotum, and the amazing thickness of the tunica vaginalis, which was also extended to the spermatic chord.

Art. 18. A palsy brought on by a fall, which occafioned a tumor on, and compression of, the medulla spinalis. By Dr. Knox, phyfifian to the army, communicated by Dr. Hunter.

The cafe here related was the consequence of a flight hurt between the shoulders from a fall upon the edge of a chair. It was about three months from the time of the accident, to the day of the patient's death. He was paralytic from the thorax downwards, without any sense of feeling, or motion, in his legs, and a total incapacity of retaining his urine and stools. The day before his death, he lost the use of his arms, and the motion of his head; complained of violent shooting pains thro' the head, was perfectly sensible to the last moment, and died totally paralytic, without a groan or convulfive motion. His appetite was perfectly good, nor did he ever complain of indigestion; and his pulse, till two days before his death, was natural. The appearances on dissection, particularly those of the injured part, are added to the history.

Art. 19. Of tumors formed by ruptured veins sometimes mistaken for aneutisms. By Mr. Elfe, furgeon to St. Thomas's Hospital, communicated by Dr. Ruffell.

We have here three cases of tumors formed by a rupture of the veins. That the disease proceeded from the state of the vein, and not of the artery, was ascertained by the probe, by injection and diffection.

Quere. (fays Mr. Elfe) if furgeons, by diffecting carefully these tumors, whenever occafion offers, and by attending closely to their cause, rife, and progress, may not foon be able to lay down very probable rules for determining, before they are opened, whether they proceed from an artery or a vein ?'

Art, 20. A case of three different growths of teeth fucceeding one another, in the upper jaw of a child. By Mr. Symmonds, furgeon at Bath, communicated by Dr. Hunter.

This fingular appearance was discovered by an exfoliation from the upper jaw, which brought away two teeth, and exposed to view two small white teeth, like those of an infant, that have newly cut the gum. Some weeks after this, the new teeth dropped out, and the gum closed. In little more than a month, a new tooth was observed just shooting through the gum, in the place of one of the teeth that had dropped out; this grew very fast, was foon followed by another, and both became firm and serviceable.

Art. 21. The good effects of large doses of musk in a convulfive disease. By Dr. Owen, physician at Shrewsbury, communicated by Dr. Ruffell,

A young

A young lady had the curiosity to receive the electrical shock; about three hours after, she felt two or three shocks similar to that which had been communicated by the electrical machine. These flight convulfions returned generally once or twice every day, and in four months had encreased to such a degree as to endanger the life of the patient.-A variety of medicines were used, but to no purpose: half a drachm of musk was then given every four hours, and with the defired effect.The patient had several relapses, but was always recovered by the fame medicine.

Art. 22. An account of some experiments made with the decoction of the root of the mezereon, in cases of venereal nodes. By Alexander Ruffell, M. D. F. R. S. and physician to St. Thomas's Hospital.

The first trial which Dr. Russell made of the mezereon, was in a very compounded decoction, recommended as efficacious in removing fuch venereal nodes and nocturnal pains as had withstood a falivation. Finding it answer beyond expectation, he tried the same decoction for nodes before a falivation, and found it equally successful. That the efficacy of this single ingredient might be the better ascertained, the Doctor reduced the decoction to the following simple form:

R Cort. radic. mezerei recent. zj

Aq. fontan. cong. jß.

Goq. ad cong. j. fub fin. addend. rad. glycyrrhiz. incif. zj dos. töß quater in die.

This decoction he has used for two years, and found it as efficacious as the more compound-ones. It is not nauseous to the taste, neither does it disagree with any ftomach or conftitution. It does not sensibly encrease any of the secretions; in two cases indeed it proved laxative, but both these patients were naturally very easily moved.

• The disease, says Dr. Russell, for which I principally recommend the decoction of the mezereon root as a cure, is the venereal node, that proceeds from a thickening of the membrane of the bones, which appears to be the caufe of the greatest part of those tumours, at least when recent; when there is an exoftafes, I am afraid nothing is to be expected from it; and, when the bone is carious, no cure is to be expected withexpecte out an exfoliation; but, even in this last case, it will sometimes disperse the tumor.

1

In a thickening of the periosteum from other causes, I have seen very good effects from it; and it is frequently of service in the removal of those nocturnal pains, with which venereal patients are afflicted, though, in this last case, excepting with regard to the pain that is occafioned by the node, I own I have not found its effects so certain, as I at first thought I had reason to believe it. A very few doses however of the fublimate Solution, joined to it, seldom fail to remove them.

• I do not find it of service in the cure of any other symptoms of the venereal disease, and therefore commonly add mercurial medicines, when there are any such; and think the fubl.fl. sometimes assists it in difperfing

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dispersing nodes; but whether the small quantity of mercury, that I have so often given by way of security, after the removal of the nodes, when they were unattended with other symptoms, was neceffary. I confess I am apt to doubt, as I have not yet found, that they have returned, in those cases where it was omitted.'

To this general account of the virtues of the mezereon, are added seventeen cafes; and out of this number there was only one in which it was unfuccefsful.

Art. 23. Some observations concerning the varicus fuccess of the cicuta in Ireland. By Dr. John Rutty, physician in Dublin, communicated by Dr. John Fothergill.

From Dr. Rutty's inquiry it appears; 1. That in scrofulous tumors, the cicuta has manifefted undoubted efficacy. Some of these it completely diffolved, and the cure ftood for several feafons: in others, the patients frequently suffered a relapfe, especially in the spring of the year. 2. That in cancers, it has never produced any material ill effects: that in many it was attended with no sensible change; in others, it retarded the progress, and alleviated the symptoms; but that in no one instance, did it perform a radical cure, except a history communicated by Dr. Cleghorn, and printed in this article, may be deemed such. 3. That in many corrofive and malignant ulcers, it mended the discharge and disposed them to heal.

Art. 24. Obfervations on the mischiefs occafioned by the fudden topping of falivations, together with their cure. By John Silvester, M. D. F. R. S.

The cure proposed by Dr. Silvefter, is again to have recourse to the use of mercury, so as to raise a salivation; and a falivation, he fays, thus exerted, will effectually remove the disease which was occafioned by the check of the former falivation.

Having frequently, fays Dr. Silvefter, observed some very excruciating pains, in different parts of the body, fubfequent to a falivation, which, as their cause or nature was most generally mistaken, baffled all endeavours to remove them, it may be of fome use to publish the three following cafes, and the more so, as it might perhaps not fo readily occur to every one, with what degree of propriety they might falivare a perfon, for the cure of ills which had no other cause than a preceding falivation.'

The first cafe, is that of an officer who was exposed to exceffively cold weather while under a gentle falivation. The falivation was fuddenly stopped. At this time the patient's hands and feet were so benumbed, that he thought he should never recover the use of them. As he became warner, however, the numbness went off, and was fucceeded by continual excruciating pains.-On hearing this account, Dr. Silvefter had immediate recourse to the use of mercury; a small quantity produced a plentiful falivation, and the pains were perfectly re moved.

IR