An Extract of a Printed Letter, Addressed to the Publisher, by M. Jean Denis, D. of Physick, and Prof. of the Mathematicks at Paris, Touching the Differences Risen about the Transfusion of Bloud

An Extract Of a Printed Letter, addressed to the Publisher, by M. Jean Denis, D. of Physick, and Prof. of the Mathematicks at Paris, touching the differences risen about the Transfusion of Blood. After that the Author of these Tracts, having been desired from his Parisian correspondents, to inform them, Whether the Magistrate of London had forbid the use of the Transfusion of Blood (as it was there raised) had assured them, That he never heard, that any Magistrate in England had so much as concerned themselves in this matter; and after that also the said Author had desired par- ticular information of the Intrigues, used in those parts to perplex the matter of fact in the practice of the Transfusion on a certain distracted man at Paris; Monsieur Denis was pleased to oblige the Publisher by giving him the Infor- mation as it was printed at Paris with privilege; which was thought fit to be here inserted in English, the better to satisfy the Inquisitive of these parts about the said matter of Fact, and candidly to declare the truth of that whole affair. Sir, you have sensibly obliged me to have assured me by your Letter of April 29. That the Magistrate of London had not at all concern'd them- selves to prohibit the Practice of the Transfusion of Blood; and that that operation had been hitherto practised with good success on Brutes, and without any ill consequence upon a Man. The Enemies of New Discove- ry's had taken so great care of publishing every where this false News to decry this Experiment, that there needed an authentick testimony to dis- abuse the multitude. If one should undertake to dispelate all the false ru- mors, they spread touching this matter, one should never lay aside the Pen; but the best of it is, that men of discretion do so much disdain these wild re- ports, that they hearken no more to them but with disgust. And as to me, I was resolv'd to write no more of it, until some new Experiments had first countenanced my first Conjectures. But your last Letters do so civilly engage me to impart to you the secret cabale, practised by some persons to em- barass the History of that Mad man, that was cured six months ago by the means of the Transfusion, that I could not omit sending you the summe of what hath hitherto pass'd upon that subject, expecting mean time, what the Parliament of Paris, who, I believe, will be the Judges and Arbitrators thereof, shall determine therein. You already know, that the Transfusion of Calves-blood did so temper the excessive heat of the Blood of the Mad man, who for four months had run naked up and down the streets night and day; that he fell asleep two hours after the Operation, and that after ten hours sleep he awaken'd being in good sense, and that he remain'd in that good condition about two Months, until the too frequent company with his wife, and his debauches in Wine, Tobacco, and Strong Waters had cast him into a very violent and dangerous Fever. You may also have heard, how that this Operation had effects quite con- trary at the same time, and that for one Brain cooled thereby, it fired many, forasmuch as by curing the madness of one poor Wretch, it disturbed the Wits of many such, as aim at nothing, but to signalize themselves by opposing all new Discoveries, which themselves are not capable to make. It was indeed but three or four days after that this man was recover'd, that some malicious spirits began to publish, that he died under our hands, and that we had put an end to his Extravagancies by putting an end to his Life. This first Story having been convicted of falsity, they mended the tale, and were resolv'd to make people believe, he was relapsed into his former madness, and even was grown worse than ever. This obliged the First President and many other persons of quality to send for him to their houses, to examine the truth themselves; who after they had entertain'd him awhile, were all satisfied of the good effect of the Transfusion, and that those wanted no malice, who reported things so contrary to what they saw with their own Eyes. These things you may have learned from our formerly printed Letters; but what perhaps you know not yet, is, that these Envious spirits were not the only ones that were troubled at this Cure. The wife of the Patient was most allarm'd at it, though she us'd artifice enough to shew us the contrary, and to persuade us, that she thought on nothing else; but to relieve him in his distempers. The truth is, that this man having been a Lacquay, and since a Valet de Chambre, had no profession, that could bring in a subsistence for his family. A Lady of quality, whom he had served, had indeed promis'd to preferr him, but his deplorable condition of health proved an obstacle to the performance of that promise. And indeed the time of his madness was not so troublesome to his wife, than as of his being in his wits; for whereas she had her freedom to make certain visits, and to live as she listed, when he was not at home, but ran up and down, and even lay at night in the streets; she was on the contrary in great pain, when he came to stay at home, because he observed her narrowly, and could not forbear reproaching her, for having often attempted to poison him; now and then expressing also some Jealousy, he had conceiv'd against her comportment. These are the complaints, she herself hath often made to credible persons, who thought themselves obliged to depose it judicily, thereby to discover the misunderstanding, which doubtless hath been the original of the troublesome sequel in this affair. And indeed this poor man falling ill again, his wife urged us beyond measure, to try the third Transfusion upon him, insomuch that she threatened, she would present a Petition to the Solicitor General to enjoyn us to do, what we did absolutely refuse. At last she came one morning to my house, and not finding me, she left word, that she intreated me to exercise that charity as to come after Dinner to her house, where would be a certain Meeting. I went, and there met M. Emmerez, and finding a Calf and everything ready for a Transfusion, we would go away, telling her, that her husband was not in a condition for this operation. Then she fell down with tears in her eyes, and by unwearyed clamour she engaged us not to go away without giving her the satisfaction, of having tried all possible means to recover her husband. Her art was great enough to make us condescend to another another trial, to see whether we could give him any relief. M. Emmerez, to content her, passed a pipe into the vein of the Patient's arm; and since 'tis necessary to draw away some of the old blood, when new is to be infused, he opened a vein in his foot for that end. But a violent fit having seised on him in that instant, together with a trembling of all his limbs, there issued no blood out of the foot, nor the arm; which obliged M. Emmerez to take out the pipe put into the arm, without opening the artery of the Calf, and so without any Transfusion. This poor man dying the night after, and that news being brought us, we went thither next morning together with M. Emmerez and another Chirurgeon; and remembering the Complaints the dead man had often made of his wives attempt to poison him, we would gladly have open'd his Body in the presence of 7, or 8. witnesses. But she did so violently oppose it, that it was not possible for us to execute our design. We were no sooner gone, but she bestirr'd herself exceedingly, as we were inform'd, to bury her husband with all speed. But being in an indigent condition, she could not compass it that day. Meantime a famous Physitian of the Faculty of Paris, hapning to be that night at the house of a Lady, who was solicited for a charity towards this Burial; was of the same mind with us, that his body should be open'd, and therefore sent instantly for Chirurgions to execute. But she being resolved against it, used lies and other arts to elude this design. And when we threatened her, that we would return next morning, and do the thing by force, she caused her husband to be buried an hour before day, to prevent our opening of him. As soon as his death was bruited abroad, the Enemies of the Experiment began to triumph, and soon after they publish'd defaming books against us. I then resolved to be silent, but that silence made our Adversaries but keener. And I was surprized, when two months after I was advertised, that there were three Physicians that did not budge from the Widow, importuning her by promises of a great recompence, only to let them use her name to accuse us before a Court of Justice for having contributed to the death of her husband by the Transfusion; and that even they addressed themselves to the neighbors of this woman to engage them to bear false witness against us. And some time after, this woman, raised by the hopes given her by those men, came and told us, that some Physicians did extremely solicit her against us, and that she had always refused them, knowing her obligations to us for having relieved her husband freely. But she drawing from hence no profit, as she expected she should, she turned her advertisements into menaces, and sent us word, that in the present necessity, to which she was reduced, she was obliged to accept of the offer, made her by certain Physicians, if we would not afflict her. I sent her this answer, that those Physicians, and her self stood more in need of the Transfusion than ever her husband had done, and that, for my part, I cared not for her threats. But yet I then thought it time to break silence, not only my interest being concern'd, but the publick, to discover to the world those persons that would be engaged in intrigues so unworthy of Learned men. I complain'd of it to the Lieutenant in Criminal causes, causes, who presently allowed me to inform both against the Widow, and those that solicited her. Some witnesses having been called before Justice, they deposed against the three Physicians and this Woman, accusing them to have secretly given to her husband certain powders, which might have contributed to his death. This Information, brought in by five Witnesses, having been presented in a full Court to the said Lieutenant by Mr. Dormisson, the King's Advocate; he gave Sentence, That the Woman should have a Day set her, to appear in Person to be examined upon my Informations, and that in the mean time new Informations should be taken against her at the desire of His Majesties Attorney. And because he thought, that there might be danger in permitting indifferently the practice of the Transfusion to all sorts of persons, he ordered, that for the future it should be used but by the prescript of Physicians: This is, what you'll see more fully in the Sentence itself; An Extract Of the Sentence, given at the Châtelet, by the Lieutenant in Criminal Causes, April 17, 1668, in Paris. In this Cause, there are proofs and evidences of these Particulars; 1. That the Operation of Transfusion was twice performed upon Anthony Mauroy, a Madman, and that it was attempted the third time: that it succeeded so well those two times, that the Patient was seen, for two months after it, in his good senses and in perfect health. 2. That from the time of the two first operations his Wife gave him Eggs and Broths, and Boded with him four times, notwithstanding the prohibition of those, that treated him, and that she carried him to her house without speaking to them of it, and with great reluctancy of her Husband. 3. That since that time, he went from one Cabaret to another, and took Tobacco, and falling ill again, his Wife ordinarily gave him strong-Water to drink, and Broths, wherein she mixed certain Powders; and that Mauroy, having complain'd that she would Poison him, and gave him Arsenic in his Broths; she hindered the Assistants to taste thereof, and making a show of tasting of it herself, cast it down upon the ground, what she had in a Spoon. 4. That du Mauroy had frequent quarrels with his Wife since, and that she gave him many strokes, as sick as he was, but having once received a box on the Ear from him, she said, he should repent it, though he should die on't. 5. That when the Transfusion was attempted the third time, it was at the instant request of his Wife; those that were to performe the operation, refusing to do it without permission of the Solicitor General; that some days after that, the Operation was begun, but that almost no blood issuing neither out of the foot nor of the arme of the Patient, a Pipe was inserted, which made him cry out, though it appeared not that any blood of the Calfe had pass'd into his veins; that the Operation was given over, and that the Patient died the next night. 6. That this Woman would no wayes suffer any to open the body of her Husband, saying, for an Excuse, He was already in the Coffin, when he was not. 7. That a good while after the Decease of the said du Mauroy, three Physicians did solicit the said Woman to take Money, and to make Complaints, that the Transfusion had kill'd her Husband: that she said, when these Persons were gone away from her, that they had been with her upon that account; and that unless these, that had made the Operation, would give her wherewithal to return into her Country, she should do what those others pressed her to: that a Witness deposed, that she came to pray him, that he would advertise those, who had made the Operation, that unless they would maintain her during her life, she would accept of the Offer made her by the said Physicians: that another Witness deposed, that one was come to him from a Physician, and had offer'd him 12 Gulden Louys', if he would depose, that du Mauroy died in the very act of the Transfusion. That the matter was important enough to inquire into the bottom of it; that there was cause enough to examine this Woman, where she had those Powders? Why she had given them to her husband? and by whose Order? Why she had hindered the Opening of the Body by a lie? That he required, further information might be taken about it, and she in the mean time put in safe Custody. That as to the three Physicians, who had solicited her with Money to Prosecute those that had made the Operation, and who had been seen with her, he demanded, that a Day might be set them to appear in Person. Lastly, that since the Transfusion had succeeded well the two first times, and had not been undertaken the third but at the earnest request of the Woman, who otherwise had so ill observed the orders of those, that had made the operation, and who was suspected to have caused the death of her Husband, he demanded, that the execution of the decree of prefixing him a day for personal appearance might surcease. Whereupon it was decreed, that the Widow of du Mauroy should on a set day appear personally, and undergo the examination upon the alleged informations; and that more ample informations should be made of the Contents in the Complaint of Mr. Denys: And then, that for the future no Transfusion should be made upon any Human Body but by the approbation of the Physicians of the Parisian Faculty. Since this Sentence, new Informations have been given in, considerably stronger than the former; and Witnesses have been discover'd, to whom the Woman had committed it as a trust, that it was Arsenick, the mingled in her Husbands Broths, and even that the deceased, having given the rest of one of the Messes of broth to a Cat, the Animal died of it a few days after. As to the Transfusion, you see it is not absolutely prohibited by this sentence, there needing no more to practise it, but to have the approbation of some Physicians of Paris; and at this very time there are seven or eight, that have signed the Proposition made for one. 'Tis not, that I would make use of that Licence for the practise of this Operation; for the Physicians of Montpelier, Rheimes, and other Universities of France, who hold at Paris the first places about their Majesties, the Princes and Princesses of the blood, the chief Magistrates and other persons of Quality, find themselves in some manner wounded by this sentence. They do not think they are obliged to stay for the Judgment of the Doctors of Paris, to enable them to prescribe an Operation of this nature. Doubtless we shall in a short time have this point determin'd and regulated by a higher Jurisdiction. And I have now before me a Paralytic Woman (a neighbour and friend to her, that was cured of the Palsy this way) who is resolved to present a Petition to the Magistrate, and therein to desire, the Transfusion may be allowed her. Mean time, if ever the Faculty of the Parisian Physicians meet upon this business, I do not believe, that they will act with that precipitancy, as some fancy. And as to the Parliament, I do not see, that those, who compose it, are of a resolution to strike at this Operation, unless it should happen, that the Experiments, that may be made before them, should not succeed as those have done, that have been made hitherto. 'Tis well known to that Court, that the Faculty made a decree, an hundred years since, against Antimony, which was then used by the Physicians of Montpelier, and that, after they had given it a place among Poisons, they obtained a sentence, prohibiting the use thereof: yet notwithstanding these Physicians not having borne to use it under another name, the effects thereof proved so advantageous, and the recovery of our Great Monarch thereby so famous, that the same Faculty of Paris was constrain'd, two years agoe, by a decree to approve what before they had forbidden, and even demanded another sentence for permitting the use of the same. This Example alone will not let them go so fast for the future upon the like Occasions: besides that the time, wherein we are, seems to be much more favourable for New Discoveries, than it was an Age agoe. His Majesty, how much soever taken up in the Government of his Kingdome, and in his Victories and Triumphs, is not wanting to give a very particular encouragement and protection to Learned and Inquisitive Men: And at a time, when his said Majesty sends all over the World recompences and gratifications to those, that cultivate Sciences, I cannot believe, that in his Dominions there will be found Magistrates, resolved to condemne persons, that have no other Crime, than that of consecrating all their interest and labour to the Progress and Advancement of Knowledge and New Discoveries. I shall not fail, punctually to impart to you the issue of this affair, in the mean time believe me, Paris, May 15. 1668. Tour &c. An Account of two Books. I. THE PROGRES and ADVANCEMENT OF KNOWLEDGE since the days of ARISTOTLE; in an Account of some of the most remarkable late Improvements of useful Learning. By JOS. GLANVILL, London in 8° Printed for James Collins; The chief design of the Discourse in this Book is, to encourage more and more the free and better disposed spirits to a vigorous endeavour in the pursuits of such knowledge, as may really enrich the understanding of Man, and more amply provide for the Necessities and Accommodati-