Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 003.djvu/87



After that the Author of these Tracts, having been desired from his Parisian correspondents, to inform them, Whether the Magistrate of London had forbid the use of the Transfusion of Bloud (as it was there noised) had assured them, That he never heard, that any Magistrate in England had as much as concerned themselves in this matter; and after that also the said Author had desired particular information of the Intrigues, used in those parts to perplexe the matter of fact in the practice of the Transfusion on a certain distracted man at Paris; Monsieur Denis was pleased to oblige the Publisher by giving him the Information as it was printed at Paris with priviledge; which was thought fit to be here inserted in English, the better to satisfie the Inquisitive of these parts about the said matter of Fact, and candidly to declare the truth of that whole affair.

Ir, you have sensibly obliged me to have assured me by your Letter of April 29, That the Magistrate of London had not at all concern'd themselves to prohibit the Practice of the Transfusion of Bloud; and that that operation had been hitherto practised with good success on Brutes, and without any ill consequence upon a Man. The Enemies of New Discovery's had taken so great care of publishing every where this false News to decry this Experiment, that there needed an authentic testimony to disabuse the multitude. If one should undertake to dissipate all the false rumors, they spread touching this matter, one should never lay aside the Pen; but the best of it is, that men of discretion do so much disdain these wild reports, that they hearken no more to them but with disgust. And as to me, I was resolv'd to write no more of it, until some new Experiments had first countenanced my first Conjectures. But your last Letters do so civilly engage me to impart to you the secret cabale, practised by some persons to embarass the History of that Mad man, that was cured six moneths ago by the means of the Transfusion, that I could not omit sending you the summe of what hath hitherto pass'd upon that subject, expecting mean time, what the Parliament of Paris, who, I believe, will be the judges and Arbitrators thereof, shall determine therein.

You already know, that the Transfusion of Calves-bloud did so temper the excessive heat of the Bloud of the Mad man, who for four moneths had run naked up and down the streets night and day; that he fell asleep two hours after the Operation, and that after ten hours sleep he awaken'd being in good sense, and that he remain'd in that good condition about two Moneths, until the too frequent company with his wife, and his debauches in Wine, Tobacco, and Strong Waters had call him into a very violent and dangerous Feaver.

You may also have heard, how that this Operation had effects quite contrary at the same time, and that for one Brain cooled thereby, it fired many, Rh