A Letter from Dr Davies to Sir Charles Holt, Containing a Relation of a Person Who Voided Many Hydatides in Her Urine

I. A Letter from Dr Davies to Sir Charles Holt, containing a relation of a person who voided many Hydatides in her Urine. A Gentlewoman between 40 and 50 years of age, in the Autumn 97, drank some Aluminous Waters for a month or five weeks, and in a months time after the use of these Waters, found a pain in the Renal region, where she never had been afflicted with any before; this pain returned after the first Paroxysm in about a months time, and afterwards more frequently, till about the Christmas following it visited her every day; about which time she sent for me; and had when I came to her the Symptoms of a Stone in her Left Kidney, viz. a grinding, and sometimes a very acute pain on that side of the Spina Dorfi, a Vomiting, her Urine during the Paroxysm tinged with Blood, and in it Bloody Ramenta; but what most surprized me, a dozen at least of Hydatides, some of the biggest of them 1 ½ inch long, their circumference equalled that of an ordinary Goose-quill; in shape they exactly represented the Vesicula Natatoriae in Fish, growing smaller about the middle, as those generally do, and were filled with a Liquor, which my taste and smell made me believe to be Urine; I never discovered any Pus in her Urine, nor had she any pain at the Sphincter of the Bladder, nor in the Meatus Urinarius, either before, at, or after making Urine. The Paroxysm lasted generally 3 or 4 hours; as soon as these Hydatides came away, (which they did not all at once making water, but at several times) the pain in her Back, &c. abated very sensibly, and she continued easy and well the rest of the day, excepting an external soreness, which the pain had caused. I thought these Vesiculae at first to be Membranous, since their consistence was so tough as to bear taking out of the Chamber-pot and gentle handling, but afterwards was convinced that they ow'd their origin to a glutinous slimy matter, because upon long standing in Urine or fair Water they quite disappeared and were dissolved, making the Water or Urine to look thick and turbid. By the use of Medicines all these Symptoms disappeared, and she continued well when I last heard from her, which was about two months ago. Birmingham in Warwickshire, July 14. 99. Part of a Letter from Rome to Mr John Monro, giving an account of what Books are lately Printed, and now Printing in Italy. Filippo Bonani a Jesuit, will print this year a Catalogue of the Writers of his Society, to the year 1700. Sen. Valsimieri (Physician of Rheckium) in Padua has wrote de insectis. Sen. Ramazzini has wrote lately de morbis Aurificum. Sen. Gulielmini of Bononia has wrote lately in Padua, a Book de motu Sanguinis. Sen. Pascoli of Perusia, de motibus animalinm. Sen. Fabra Physician at Ferrara has wrote de Arthritide. The Abbot Marescelli of Florence is preparing an Alphabetical Dictionary of matters treated of by Authors. Cavalier Mandolfi is preparing to print a Book called Biblioteca degli ordini equestri. The Abbot Fontanini is causing to be printed all the works of Heronymus Aleander. Giuseppe Terzi is printing in a new method Ephemerides to the year 1750. Sen. Fausto Naironi has wrote 2 dissertations, one de primatu linguarum, the other an prima editio novi testamenti fuerit Syraica an Graeca, he holds the first side. In Florence they are preparing 2 Tomes of the lives of excellent Painters by Sr Filippo Baldinucci. The 2d is posthumous, and is of the most famous men of the State of Florence.