An Account of an Hydrophoby, by Thomas Wilbraham, LL D. F. R. S.

supplied with combustible *pabulum* for many hundreds or thousands of years? LXVIII. An Account of an Hydrophoby, by Thomas Wilbraham, LL.D., F.R.S. Read April 9, 1752. ON Sunday March 29, 1752, Isaac Cranfield, a waterman about 30 years of age, was received into the infirmary in Westminster, with an *hydrophobia* upon him. He had been that morning with Mr. Heathfield, one of the surgeons to that infirmary, for advice; who being inform'd of that remarkable symptom, ask'd him, if he had not been lately bitten by a dog? He answer'd, no. But his wife, who was with him, put him in mind, that he had received a wound from a dog about nine months before. This he presently recollected; and said, it was a strange dog he met with at a public-house, that, as he was going to stroak him, gave him a little bite in the hand. The same day, about one o' clock, Dr. Coxe, Dr. Watson, and myself, who are join'd in the care of the above-mention'd infirmary, met together there to consult upon his case. When he came to be examin'd, he repeated to us the manner of his being bitten, as just mentioned; and said further, that he no sooner found himself hurt, but he gave the dog such a blow with a poker, as laid him dead upon the spot. The wound, being slight, soon heal'd up, and he thought no more of it; and he enjoy'd good health till till about two o'clock the Thursday morning before, when he was seized with a violent sickness and vomiting. The day following he continued very ill, and particularly felt an unusual pain, whenever he attempted to drink. Friday and Saturday that symptom grew worse; and on Sunday he could not swallow the least quantity of liquor, without the utmost misery. This was the day we saw him. He look'd somewhat wild in his eyes; but, in his discourse with us, discover'd no signs of madness. His pulse was extremely quick, but not weak and depressed. We examin'd his fauces, and found an inflammation. We desir'd him to give us an opportunity to see how he could bear an attempt to get down some liquid. He readily consented. He chose to sit down upon the floor, then took a cup of water in his own hand, and put it to his mouth. The moment the liquor reach'd his throat, he suddenly sprung up on his feet, and ran about the room in the most violent agony, that can be conceiv'd. It must be observ'd, that he could get down small quantities of food that was solid, all the time this symptom was upon him. He informed us, he had been let blood twice the day before he came to us. We agreed to take from him 12 ounces more, and to give him a grain of extractum Thebaicum every hour, till there appear'd some signs of stupor from the medicine. We likewise order'd him a clyster of decoct. furfuris with nitre. The blood was found next day not differing from that of a person in health. The extract was made up in pills of a grain each, which he could swallow without difficulty. I saw him again at eight o'clock o'clock at night, at which time he had taken five grains of opium, but did not appear to be in the least affected by it, being much in the same state I had left him in at one. He had had the clyster twice, but no stool either time. He went on with the pills till he had taken 15 grains; but no effect could be perceived from them. He passed the night in great anxiety, being for the most part on his legs, and at times light-headed. A good deal of frothy saliva was discharged from his mouth. About 8 o'clock in the morning he died. A few minutes before he expired, he said, that he was sensible he was going to die; and expressed much concern for the loss, which his wife and children would have of him. That day we had him open'd. The lungs were found full of blood. Water in the pericardium in the usual quantity. The blood in both ventricles of the heart fluid. The œsophagus without any morbid appearance (Vide Boerhaave Aphor. 1140.) The aspera arteria full of such frothy substance as came from his mouth. The stomach fill'd with liquor, notwithstanding the small quantity he had drank since Wednesday evening. No other parts were examined. April 7, 1752.