Medical cases and speculations : including parts IV. and V. of Considerations on the medicinal powers, and the production of factitious airs / by Thomas Beddoes, M.D. and James Watt.

  • Beddoes, Thomas, 1760-1808.
Date:
1796
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical cases and speculations : including parts IV. and V. of Considerations on the medicinal powers, and the production of factitious airs / by Thomas Beddoes, M.D. and James Watt. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

    40/323 (page 17)
    ( >7 ) funilar to that which opium had produced'the firfltimc; only far milder, and accompanied with lingular agitations of the mufcles, which was a new circumftance. His lower extremities were frequently in aftion, and his toes would move, like the fingers of a perfon playingon the harpfichord. Sometimes, as he was fitting on his bed, he would lift up his feet, and fet to revolve ; and, looking at me and his relation, he would fay, with a countenance fach a,s that with which a. fchoolhoy, ap- prehenfive of undeferved punifliment, regards his maf- ter, Indeed, I cannot help it! But his mod conftant movement was that of his arms ; and it was very curious, exaclly imitating the geflures of a perfon driving a phae- ton ; to which the patient had been long accuftomcd every morning, but had difcontinued it for a few days. Thefe geftures continued frequent till Monday. He declared that he could not reftrain them ; and at break- faff on Monday, when he was quite fedate, feemed rather amufed with his own inability in this refpe£f.. For the firft 24 hours he had only five or fix {lighter fits ; but then he had no ref). till Saturday night ; when he fell into a profound fleep, and had the ufual number of fits of both kinds, with a paroxyfm of phrenzy early on Sunday morning.. On Monday, before day-break, he had a fimi- lar, but fainter paroxyfm, which was the laft. During the reft of Sundav night he flept very profoundly, as he had alfo done in the day-time. At this period the muf- cular agitations were principally confined to'the fingers, He was left fliff and fore, as from fevere exercife : the pulfe foon became weak. From Friday to Sunday-night he was full of fear, except when torpid : and what is remarkable, not only was the prevailing ftate of mind the fame as during the aclion of the opium, but he Was D haunted