Extract of a Letter from Jean Marie Lancisi, Prof. Anat. Rom. To Mr. Bourdelot, Giving an Account of Mr. Malpighi, the Circumstances of His Death, and What Was Found Remarkable at the Opening of His Body. Being Art. I. of the 3d. Journal of Brunets Progres de la Medecine

very strong, all other parts were found and well proportioned. The second happened in the Year 1671, when he was called jointly with Monsieur Lamy to the House of a Midwife in the Fauxbourg St. Germain, where there was a Girl brought to bed of a Child like unto the former. They being called to give their report, what was the cause of the Child's death, and having examined all Circumstances, and amongst others, that of a sudden fright after she was a Month Conceived, by seeing her Lover fall from a Window Two Stories high, and by which she imagined his head was all bruised: They made their report that the Fright was the cause. Pag. 116. He mentions another of the same nature that happened in the Year 1672, which he was brought to see by Monsieur Angury in the Cloister of Notre Dame. Monsieur Peu also in his Book De la Pratique Des Accouchemens, p. 67 & 68. relates one of the same nature that happened in the Year 1682. The Child lived about a quarter of an Hour. IV. Extract of a Letter from Jean Marie Lancisi, Prof. Anat. Rom. To Mr. Bourdelot, giving an Account of Mr. Malpighi, the Circumstances of his death, and what was found remarkable at the opening of his Body. Being Art. 1. of the 3d. Journal of Brunets Progres de la Medecine. THE Incomparable Malpighi, who naturally applied himself only to serious Studies, which he seldom interrupted, and that against his will, to take some some Recreation; had employed all his time to discover New Worlds by Anatomies, and to refute (in imitation of great Men) by his Vertue and great Learning, the Calumnies of the Envious. He was of a good habit of Body, and had seen 66 Years, tho' he had frequent Sicknesses. Moreover, sharp Vomiting did torment him for 20 Years; notwithstanding which, he was troubled with the Gravel, a Hæmorragie in the Kidneys, a Rheumatisme fluxious; which with their troublesome consequences, augmented his Infirmities. Scarce had these evils given him some respite, when a cruel palpitation of the Heart, with an unequal Pulse came upon him. Moreover Four Years before his Death a sharp and biting sweat failed not, all the Summer to trouble him every Night. The Holy Father Innocent the XII, who now Reigns, having called him to Rome to make him his Chief Physician, he began the first Year to loose his fresh Colour. In the second he voided many Stones without much pain; and in the third which was the last of his Life, he found himself opprest, during the Winter with a difficulty of breathing, which troubled him most when he went up Stairs. His Health being thus insensibly undermined, and a bilious Looseness returning ever and anon, He was at length seized with a Vertigo, a loss of Speech, and a Contorsion of the Mouth, (Spasmus cynicus) and a Palsie of half the right side. And tho' there was appearance that he was out of danger by Bleedings, Purges, Diureticks, and Antapoplestick Medicines, yet one might see, by his Melancholy Countenance, but especially his want of Memory, that there was lodged in his Brain some Melancholy Humour. Therefore perceiving his end drawing near, he resolved not only to put his House in order, but also his Writings, as as he would have done with his Children. He therefore signed with his Hand three Days before his Death, his Posthumous Works, which he had ordered to be deliver'd to his Collegues of the Royal Society at London. Then having confess himself with great humility, he attended generously, and with Faith in God, the Death which appeared to him certain, and not far off. And on the 29th of November of the same Year, a terrible Apoplexy, finish't in the space of four Hours, this so precious Life. The Pope regretted the loss of this Worthy and Learned Gentleman, in terms most pathetick, which express the grief that he felt for him; being desirous to honour, as much as he could, the Memory of this Illustrious Person, who was so useful to him during his Life. And because this most Learned Man thought he should end his days by an Apoplexy, which made him often say to his Friends laughing, that he was not much concerned for Death, because he knew, that when it came on him it should find him in his Clothes. He therefore forbade, by his Will, his Friends to open his Body till thirty Hours after his Death, for he knew well enough, that some, who seem'd dead on a sudden, have reviv'd some hours after. But how vain are the hopes of Men! And how do they deceive themselves in their designs? Would to God this Man to whom the Commonwealth of Physick is so much indebted, had revived, and we had not reason to lament so suddain a death. I now come to give you an account of what was found most remarkable in his Body. The Abdomen being opened, we found the Ventricle, with the Guts, the Sweet-bread, the Spleen and Liver, most sound, both as to colour and bigness; only the Bladder of the Gall abounded with a black Gall. The A a a a left: left Kidney had nothing amiss; but the right was twice as little, and had its Pelvis thrice as bigg; which discover'd the cause of the easie descent of the Stones. We found in the Bladder a little Stone, that seem'd to have fallen into it a few days before. When the Sternum was taken off, the Lungs appeared wither'd, with some mark of corruption on the back-side. The Heart was bigger than ordinary, and the sides of the left Ventricle felt harder and thicker in some places then others; yet there was no Polypus found in either of the Ventricles, though there was ground to suspect it. At last the Skull being cut asunder, the true cause of his death was discover'd, for the right Ventricle of the Brain contain'd almost two Ounces of extravasated Blood, and the left Ventricle was swell'd with a thick and yellow sort of Phlegm, which weigh'd more than an Ounce. Moreover the Dura Mater stuck closer to the Skull than is usual. This proves that the conglobated Glands in the whole Body, had thrown into the Mass of Blood an Acid lymph, and that the conglomerated Glands of the Hypochondria, especially those of the Liver had thrown into it a melancholy Humor, and that these two sorts of Humors being carried into the Vessels of the Brain, had dispos'd the Blood to coagulate there, and that having there corroded and broken the Tunicles which serv'd for a stop to them, they had run into the Cavities, where they caused death without a Remedy. But the loss which the Commonwealth of learning suffers by the death of our dear Friend, will be in some measure made up by his Posthumous Book, which comprehends different Apologies, according to the order of the Years they were written. There he defends his own Sentiments with a sweetness and moderation that are not common. One will be charm'd with the instruction which all the World shall receive from a great many Discoveries he makes there, and the explication he gives of the old ones. Though there past no part of his Life without doing something important and considerable, yet it was but little in comparison of what he design'd to put in execution when he should be permitted to return to his pleasant Country-house. For he purposed to dissect Stones, as being the most simple of living Beings; as also all the Liquors of our Bodies. There was ground also to hope, that he would Publish for the great good of the Publick, his Practice of Physick such as might be gather'd from his Consultations, put in order. But by misfortune the envious Destiny, which suffers intire to a great Old Age the barren growth of some Men, did not spare the Corn of Malpighius, which was not yet come to its perfect ripeness. It happens also, that some ignorant People have life enough, who are not given to Meditation; and that on the contrary, Learned Men have their Days shorten'd, their excellent Thoughts not having time to come to maturity. But may not I without injustice accuse this Age, which is now drawing to a Period, of this death; and which not being content to rob us of the Galilee's, Harveys, Des Cartes, the Pecquets, and the Bartholines, would also take from us this Famous Malpighi, not so much through fear, lest the succeeding Ages should enjoy so great a Man, as through ambition of putting an end to his Life by Death, and gracing it with Fame.