A Letter from the Reverend Mr. James Field, Rector of St. Johns in Antegoa, concerning Two Cases of Wounds in the Stomach, to Mr. John Douglas, Surgeon, F. R. S.

G. G. two inclin'd planes, for the Men to stand on, &c. when they put in, or take out Planks, or water the Sand. b.b. The bottom of the Stove, made of Iron. i.i. The Grates to lay the Fewel on. VI. A Letter from the Reverend Mr. James Field, Rector of St. Johns in Antegoa, concerning two Cases of Wounds in the Stomach, to Mr. John Douglas, Surgeon, F. R. S. SIR, THE Accidents of which you desire me to give you an account, were as follows. A lusty young Negro man returning home about Noon, went into his House, where seeing some ripe Plantains, he eat of them heartily; his Father in Law, about 60 Years of age, coming to the same House soon after, enquired of the young Fellow, who had taken his Plantains. Who answered, That he being hungry, had eaten them. Ay, you Dog, says the old Fellow, have you served me so, I kept them for my own Dinner; and without more ado, took his Knife, and gave the young Fellow a most desperate Wound in the upper Region of the Belly, a vast Gash being made in the Stomach, in so much that the Plantain, which he had eaten, burst through the Wound, which was made straight up and down. The old Man immediately fled for it, the young Fellow's Companions hearing what was done, pursued the old Man with Bills in their Hands: the old Man, seeing them follow him in this manner, and get ground of him, and suspecting their Design was to kill him, pull'd out the same Knife, with which he had stabb'd the other, and gave himself as desperate a Wound, as he had given him, and in the upper Region of the Belly, his Stomach being likewise seen, only with this Difference, that this last Wound was transverse, or from left to right, the first directly up and down; the old Fellow was carried home and laid in the same House, where the other wounded Fellow lay. This Accident happen'd about Noon, and Mr. Forrest, the Surgeon came not to dress them till between four and five; he stitch'd up the Stomachs of them both entirely, and their Bellies too, only leaving in each a small hole for Suppuration; a Fever seized each of them, the old Man was in most danger, the Fever held them about a Fortnight, the Wounds were brought to a good Digestion, and in a Months time or thereabouts, the young Fellow went abroad, but the old Man lay something longer. They were both perfectly cured, and have been very well ever since, tho' its above fifteen Years since this Accident happen'd. Windsor, Aug. 24. 1720. I am, &c. Jam. Field.