An Account of the Case of a Young Man Stupified by the Smoke of Sea-Coal; By Dr. Frewen, of Sussex

LXIX. An Account of the Case of a young Man stupified by the Smoke of Sea-coal; by Dr. Frewen, of Sussex. Read Jan. 28, 1762. William Colebrook, a lad of seventeen years of age, was left alone to take care of his master's vessel in Rye harbour, the 4th of June 1761; and shutting up all close, at nine o'clock in the evening, he laid himself down to sleep in a small cabbin, where there had been a sea-coal fire, which was not properly extinguished, and, the chimney-place being stopped, it soon grew full of smoke; the effect of which, when the people came on board next morning, proved to have been so powerful, as to render him totally deprived of all the sensible motions of the body, excepting those of the heart and lungs. The cause of this stupor being presently suspected, he was brought out upon the deck, in hopes the fresh air would prove of service; but neither that, nor bleeding, blistering, or any other applications they made use of, assisted him in the least, under this torpid situation. Being brought home to his master's house about noon, I visited him, and found him in the same soporous, apoplectic state, with a feeble pulse, respiration laboured and difficult, a rattling in his throat, and utterly void of all sensation. He appeared much like one I had seen, who had taken an over-dose of opium, and died of it. I strongly recommended the plunging this patient into a cold bath; which being complied with, and done as expeditiously as it could be, was attended with with a success even beyond my expectations. Immediately upon the immersion, (for I ordered but only one plunge, supposing that a second would prove less efficacious, by weakening the power of the first) he opened his eyes and mouth, and shut them again. He was then instantly put to bed naked, between the blankets; and, in a very few minutes time, a very great and universal sweat came on him, which continued for many hours. In the evening, he was first perceived to move a little, seemingly as if disturbed by the roughness of the blankets stimulating his skin: a while after, he opened his eyes, and looked a little about him, in a confused manner. Some time after that, he grew more sensible, and spoke; but could only give the short answers, Yes and No. His respiration was still difficult, and very laborious; but his pulse was stronger and fuller; on which account, I ordered a little blood to be taken away; and he took frequently, a very little at a time, of some sweet oil. For his ordinary drink, I directed boiling water poured upon bread, with a little white wine, lemon juice, and sugar; of which, at first, he took but very little at a time, and afterwards more in quantity, as he could get it down. The next day, I found him much better, when he sat up, talked, and drank some tea. His breathing was easier, but he complained of a short troublesome cough, and hoarseness; for which I ordered him a smooth pectoral linctus: and a lenient purging draught was also given him, which had the desired effect. He continued growing better for a day or two, when I called upon him again, and finding his cough and hoarseness still remain, with a little shortness of breath, I directed him pills of Millepedes and Gum Ammoniac made up with Bal. Sulph. to be taken twice a day, drinking warm milk after them; by which means, he grew perfectly well, and went to sea in twelve days. LXX. A Letter from Benjamin Franklin, LL. D. and F. R. S. to the Reverend Thomas Birch, D. D. and Secretary to the Royal Society. SIR, Craven-Street, Feb. 4, 1762. Read Feb. 4, 1762. MR. Canton did me the favour to shew me the ingenious experiments he has described in the inclosed letter. They succeeded perfectly as he has related them; and I imagine, the communication of them must be agreeable to the curious in this branch of natural knowledge. I am, SIR, With great respect, Your most obedient and most humble servant, B. Franklin. LXXI.