A Letter from Mr. James Yonge, F. R. S. to Dr. Hans Sloane, S. R. Sec. concerning a Bunch of Hair Voided by Urine

I. A Letter from Mr. James Yonge, F. R. S. to Dr. Hans Sloane, S. R. Sec. concerning a Bunch of Hair voided by Urine. A Plethorick Woman about Fifty Years old, that used often to be afflicted with Nephritick Pains, employ'd me to relieve her the Nineth of May last. I found by the Purulency and Stench of her Urine, that she had not only Stones and Gravel, but an Ulcer in one or both her Kidneys; and therefore gave her a Dose of Cantharides with Camphire made into Pills, and follow'd it with plentiful Draughts of a slippery Emulsion. This made her piss off abundance of blackish Gravel, and white thick Matter like Bird-Lime, without any Pain or ill Symptoms, and she continued easie for a Week; then her Pains returned, and went off by the same Remedy. About Eighteen Days afterwards her Pain seeming to threaten a return, I repeated the Medicine; but that Night it gave her very great Pain in the side of her Belly, and at last threw her into Convulsions, which went off upon the Discharge of Urine, of a great deal of Matter, and in it a Bunch of short Hair almost rotten: For some time after she used a Nephritick Course, which hath hitherto preserved her from the Return of Pain, Matter, Stones, and Impediment of Urine. I here- I herewith send you a third part of that Bunch, which the last Dose of Cantharides forced from her; and will make no Descants on it, but leave it to those Learned Gentlemen before whom you shall lay it. Plimouth, Sept. 28. 1707. I am Yours, &c: James Yonge.