The Case of a Lad Bitten by a Mad Dog, Communicated in a Letter from Mr. Edward Nourse, F. R. S. and Chirurgeon to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, to Cromwell Mortimer, M. D. Secr. R. S.

II. The Case of a Lad bitten by a mad Dog, communicated in a Letter from Mr. Edward Nourse, F.R.S. and Chirurgeon to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, to Cromwell Mortimer, M.D. Secr. R.S. Dear SIR, Presuming that the following Case will be acceptable to the Society, I beg Leave to communicate it through your Hands. I am Your most obedient Servant, 18 Jan. 1736-7. Edward Nourse. Stephen Bellaf, aged about Sixteen, some time in June 1735, was bit by a mad Dog through the Nail of his Right Thumb: I was called immediately upon the Accident, when I proposed to make a Ligature above, and to cauterize the wounded Part; but that not being complied with, I desired Mr. Gernum the Apothecary, who was present, to make up the Remedy mentioned by Dampier in our Transactions, No 237 [and 443.] (viz.) Rx Lichen ciner. terrestris, Piper. nig. aa 3i. f. Pulvis. Of this Powder he took a Dram, within an Hour after he was bit; repeated it the next Morning before he set out for Gravesend, where he was ten Days, and dipt in the salt Water every Day; during which Time he repeated the Medicine Night and Morning, and continued so to do for forty Days. This Boy was without out the least Sign of being affected by the Poison, till Tuesday last the 11th of January 1736-7, when in the Evening he complained of a Numbness in three of the Fingers of the Hand that was not bit: On Wednesday Morning he was sick, had great Pain across his Stomach, and in all his Bones; in the Evening I was sent for to bleed him, the People about him supposing he had got Cold. When I came, I found him feverish, with a hard full Pulse: I asked what Complaints he had? He told me those above-mentioned. I inquired what Nourishment he had taken that Day? the Answer was, None, for he could not swallow; whereupon I looked into his Mouth, but there was no Inflammation; neither did anything occur to me that could possibly produce the Difficulty of swallowing, he said, he had: I offered him some Sack-whey in a Basin, but he started at the Sight of it, neither would he suffer it to come near him; I then offered him a Spoonful, which I prevailed upon him to swallow: The Moment it was down, he was convulsed, and a remarkable Horror appeared in his Countenance, which was succeeded by a profuse Sweat all over his Face and Head. He afterwards took another Spoonful; the Consequence was as before, but in somewhat a higher Degree: I was now convinced that this was the ὑφοβολία, and that it arose from his having been bit nineteen Months ago; for after the most strict Inquiry, it does not appear that he has been bit by any Animal since; and if he had, it is very probable I should have known it, his Master living next Door to me, and the Boy knowing how much Danger we thought him in, when he was bit: I acquainted his Friends with my Apprehensions, and desired desired farther Advice; upon which Dr. Monro was sent for, who ordered him to be let Blood, a Repetition of the above-mentioned Medicine in a Bolus every four Hours, and a Clyster: He was blooded, and the Clyster was injected; but he was prevailed upon to take but one of the Bolusses. This Night was spent with great Inquietude, and without any Sleep: Thursday Morning he was generally convulsed, and had frequent Reachings and Yawnings alternately; about Noon his Mind (which till then continued sound) left him, and he raved and foamed at the Mouth till five o’Clock in the Afternoon; at which Time Nature seemed quite spent, and he lay very quiet till Seven, when he died. The Poison in this Boy, you find, was latent near nineteen Months; which I know the Books mention, but it never fell within my Observation before. I do not know whether it be necessary to tell you, that I cut this Boy for the Stone last Summer, about a Year after he had been bit; I never saw a Wound more disposed to heal, and he was well and abroad in five Weeks. III. An Explanation of the Runic Characters of Helsingland, by Mr. Andrew Celsius, R.S. Suec. Secr. F. R. S. and Professor of Astronomy at Upsal. 'TIS well known, that there are Stones found in the several Parts of Sweden, which were formerly set up as Obelisks in Memory of the Dead. These