ftretched backwards and downwards, terminating on the inferior cofta of the fcapula.

In this alarming cafe, no other furgeon at hand, nor any proper affiftant, I hesitated to attempt any operation, being affraid the child would expire under my hands. Certain death, however, feemed the confequence of not doing it. I therefore determined to take off the remaining part of the humerus at the joint, and to leave no more of the muscles and skin, than barely fuffi cient to cover the glenoid cavity, dreading the violent inflammation which would enfue upon parts fuflaining fo great injury.

Two arteries in the axilla, which were distinctly felt, were tied. The capfular ligament was then divided fome length. In endeavouring to diflocate the bone, a large artery fprung, which, at the first stitch, was taken up, just at its exit from below the clavicle: No farther interruption happened during the operation. The child fhowed no fenfe of pain. Warm wine was poured over its throat; and, after waiting fome time to fee if all the blood-veffels were fecured, the wound was dreffed in the usual way.

The child's right leg had ftruck against the hopper, a large wooden box, and knocked it to VOL. V. No. 17.

F

a

a diftance, by which both bones were fractured, with large contufion. The eighteen tailed bandage, with long splints, were applied. The convulfions abated, and went entirely off in four hours. The fymptomatic fever was milder than could have been expected. The wound digefted well. The cure was compleated in little more than two months, the child enjoying the perfect ufe of all its fenfes.

It is evident, the axillary artery was injured above the place where it was firft tied, and probably would have burft open very soon, from its giving way upon the first motion induced on the parts. The uncertainty how high fuch injury might reach, was the reafon why the artery was fecured as high as poffible. This last ftich was gradually protruded, till, fome days before it came away, it hung down a full half inch more than at first, which can only be accounted for, by the artery being elongated and reproduced in a correfponding length.

On accurate calculation, I found the spindle of the miln fly round 140 times in a minute, when working with its full force.

To what cause are we to afcribe the total ab. fence of haemorrhagy in this cafe? Will the contorfions

torfions and convolutions which the coats of the arteries neceffarily underwent, before a folution of continuity took place, fufficiently account for not a drop of blood enfuing on this divifion?

There was no hurt on the part of the arm that was torn away: At the point of feparation, the soft parts were cut as compleatly circular, down to the bone, as if done with the knife, except a large nerve which hung from it, four inches long. The bone projected very little.

II.

An Account of the Effects of Electricity in removing a fixed Contraction of the Fingers. By Dr Alexander Eafon of the 18th Regiment of Dragoons. Communicated to Dr Duncan.

A

Lady, in the county of Corke, had the

misfortune to break her arm. In the ufual time after the accident, the bandage was taken off, and the arm was found to be perfectly ftraight; but her fingers were fhut in the palm of the hand, and could not be stretched out, or

forced open. Stupes, and every relaxing method,

was tried; but in vain. She went to Bath, had it pumped, and rubbed with the flime of the water; but to no purpose.

About ten months from the time that the met with the accident, fhe came to Lifmore to vifit her fifter. As fhe defpaired of ever being better, fhe was easily perfuaded by Mr Eels (an excellent electrician) to try an electric blow. He loaded. his bottle pretty highly, and discharged it through the course of the flexor mufcles. In a moment the fingers flew open; and, ever fince, fhe has had the proper use of them.

In this cafe, the nerves were not probably in fault; and the electric fhock feemed to act like a force, by difengaging the mufcles.

III.

The Hiftory of a Convulfive Disorder, treated by the Ufe of the Flowers of Zinc. By Dr Patrick Dugud, Phyfician at Durham. Communicated

to Dr Duncan.

ANE HEDLEY, aged nine

JAN

of a

relaxed habit of body, and delicate conítitution, was fuddenly, about two years ago,

without

without any previous indifpofition, feized with a violent convulfive fit; during which, the whole mufcular fyftem was affected with irregular fpafmodic contractions. Her countenance became pale and contracted; her eyes rolled wildly; the muscles of the mouth were thrown into a convulfive grin; her knees were almost brought to touch the fternum; whilft her feet, with the toes distorted inwards, feemed to reach the anus. Upon undreffing her,. there was obferved, immediately below the false ribs of the left fide, a round and circumfcribed fwelling, soft, and yielding to the touch; which, in this, and all the fubfequent paroxyfms, no fooner began to diminish, than all the other symptoms vanished; and she was left in an abfolute state of ftupefaction, which generally terminated in a profound fleep.

After this first attack, which lafted feveral hours, the fame series of fymptoms continued, for fix months, to return, at irregular intervals, three or four times a week. About this time, fhe was seized with a fever, which had almost proved fatal. On her recovery from it, fhe paffed three large round worms, and had no return of the fit till two months after, when they again attacked her, with all their former violence; and increased fo much in frequency, that, at the time I was de