An Account of the Case of the First Joint of the Thumb Torn off, with the Flexor Tendon in Its Whole Extent Torn Out. By Robert Home, Late Surgeon to the Thirtieth Regiment of Foot, and Surgeon at Kingston upon Hull. In a Letter to John Pringle, M. D. F. R. S.

him as a sort of gardener at Starborough); who further added, "that the shock waked and frighted his wife, tho' she was fast asleep before." 6th April, 1758. James Burrow. LXXXIII. An Account of the Case of the First Joint of the Thumb torn off, with the Flexor Tendon in its whole Extent torn out. By Robert Home, late Surgeon to the Thirtieth Regiment of Foot, and Surgeon at Kingston upon Hull. In a Letter to John Pringle, M.D. F.R.S. SIR, Read April 6, 1758. I take the liberty of inclosing to you a case in surgery, which I imagine is not very common. Marchetis indeed has an observation of the same kind; and there are several others collected together by Mons. Morand, in the second volume of the Memoires of the Royal Academy of Surgery at Paris: but as I have not heard of that volume's being translated into English, and believe there is no observation of a similar nature in the Philosophical Transactions, I beg the favour of you to communicate it to the Royal Society, of which you are a Fellow; and at the same time to make them an offer of the joint of the thumb, with its adherent tendon, which you will receive at the same same time with this; hoping they will do me the honour of accepting it, as a testimony (tho' trifling) of my great esteem and respect for the most learned Society in Europe. Your Friend Dr. Knox saw the patient dressed oftener than once; and Mr. Thornhill, late Surgeon and Manmidwife in Bristol, saw it when near healed. I beg you will believe me to be, with great truth, SIR, Your most obedient, and most humble Servant, Hull, March 27th, 1758. Robert Home. January 2d, 1758, William Taylor, 17 years of age, an apprentice to a white-smith in this place, in endeavouring to make his escape from one, who was going to correct him, opened the door of a cellar, and threw himself into it; but in his hurry so intangled his right thumb with the latch, that the whole weight of his body was suspended by it, until it gave way, and was torn off at the first articulation; the flexor tendon being at the same time pulled out in its whole length, having broke when it became muscular. I was immediately sent for, found little or no haemorrhage, and the bone of the second phalanx safe, and covered with its cartilage, but protruding considerably, occasioned by part of the skin belonging to it being irregularly torn off with the first joint. I was doubtful, whether or not I should be obliged, at last, to make a circular incision, and saw the the bone even with the skin; but thought it proper to give him a chance for the use of the whole phalanx. He complained only for the first day of a pretty sharp pain in the course of the tendon; to which compresses, wrung out of warm brandy, were applied: but his arm was never swelled; there was no ecchymosis; nor had he so much fever, as to require bleeding even once. The cure proceeded happily, no symptoms arising from the extracted tendon. At the third dressing the bone was covered; and no other application but dry lint was necessary during the whole time. No exfoliation happened; yet it was twelve weeks before it was entirely cicatrised, owing to the loss of skin: and he seems to enjoy the use of the stump as completely, as if that tendon was not lost. LXXXIV. An Account of the late Discoveries of Antiquities at Herculaneum, and of an Earthquake there; in a Letter from Camillo Paderni, Keeper of the Museum at Herculaneum, and F.R.S. to Tho. Hollis, Esq; F.R.S. dated Portici, Feb. 1. 1758. Read April 6, 1758. WE have been working continually at Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Stabiae, since my last of Dec. 16, 1756. The most remarkable discoveries made there are these, which follow.