An Extract of the Journal of the Society at Dublin; Giving an Account of a Periodicall Evacuation of Blood at the End of One of the Fingers

An Extract of the Journal of the Society at Dublin; giving an account of a Periodicall Evacuation of Blood at the end of one of the Fingers. Decem. 22, 1684. A Letter was read from Mr. Alb, in answer to a Query sent down by the Society to him concerning a man who had a constant and periodical, Evacuation of Blood at the end of his fore-Finger; from which Letter the following return is abstracted. Walter Walsh, an Inn-keeper in Trym, born in Ireland, of a temperate Diet, Sanguin Complexion, and pleasant Humor, in the 43d year of his Age, anno 1658, about Easter, was seiz'd with a great pain over all his right Arm; a great heat, and redness in his right hand; and a pricking in the point of the fore-Finger; whereon there appear'd a small speck, as if a little Thorn had run in; and supposing it such he opend it, whereupon the Blood spun out in a Violent but small stream; after it had spent its Violence, it would cease for a while and only drop, and then spring out with Violence again, continuing thus for 24 hours, till at last he fainted away, and then the Blood stancht of it self, and his pains left him: from that time during his whole life, (which continued 12 years,) he was frequently troubled with like Fits; seldom having a respite of 2 months, and they never returned oftener than in 3 weeks: he rarely Bled less than a Pottle at a time; the oftener the Fit came the less he Bled; and the more rarely it assaulted him, he Blew the more; whenever they endeavor'd to stanch the Blood, it raised most exquisite tortures in his Arm; no remedies that were ever used proved in the least effectuall: he had no other distemper that troubled him; neither season, nor weather wrought upon him: he had no outward accident that at first brought the Bleeding: Drinking more than ordinary made him more apt to Bleed: he had no Child after his first seizure: these frequent Fits brought him at last very low, insomuch that towards his latter end he Bled but little, and that too but like diluted water. He dyed of this Distemper on the 13th of Feb. 1658.