Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 003.djvu/89

 another trial, to see whether we could give him any relief M. Emmerez, to content her, passed a pipe into the vein of the Patients arm; and since 'tis necessary to draw away some of the old blond, when new is to be infused, he opened a vein in his foot for that end. But a violent fit having seised on him in that instant, together with a trembling of all his limbs, there issued no blond out of the foot, nor the arm; which obliged M. Emmerez to take out the pipe put into the arm, without opening the artery of the Calf, and so without any Transfusion.

This poor man dying the night after, and that news being brought us, we went thither next morning together with M. Emmerez and another Chirurgion; and remembering the Complaints the dead man had often made of his wives attempt to poyson him, we would gladly have open'd his Body in the presence of 7. or 8. witnesses. But she did so violently oppose it, that it was not possible for us to execute out design. We were no sooner gone, but she bestirr'd her self exceedingly, as we were inform'd, to bury her husband with all speed. But being in an indigent condition, The could not compass it that day. Mean time a famous Physitian of the Faculty of Paris, hapning to be that night at the house of a Lady, who was solicited for a charity towards this Burial; was of the same mind with us, that his body should be open'd, and therefore sent instantly for Chirurgions to execute. But she being resolv'd against it, used lyes and other arts to elude this design. And when we threatened her, that we would return next morning, and do the thing by force, she caused her husband to be buried an hour before day, to prevent our opening of him.

As soon as his death was bruited abroad, the Enemies of the Experiment begin to triumph, and soon after they publisht defaming books against us. I then resolved to be silent, but that silence made our Adversaries but keener. And I was surprised, when two moneths after I was advertised, that there were three Physitians that did not budge from the Widow, importuning her by promises of a great recompense, onely to let them use her name to accuse us before a Court of Justice for having contribut'd to the death of her husband by the Transfusion; and that even they addressed themselves to the neighbors of this woman to engage them to bear false witness against us. And some time after, this woman, raised by the hopes given her by those men, came and told us, that some Physitians did extremely sollicit her against us, and that she had always refused them, knowing her obligations to us for having relieved her husband freely. But the drawing from hence no profit, as she expected she should, she turned her advertisements into menaces, and sent us word, that in the present necessity, to which she was reduced, she was obliged to accept of the offer, made her by certain Physitians, if we would not assist her. I sent her this answer, that those Physitians, and her self stood more in need of the Transfusion then ever her husband had done, and that, for my part, I cared not for her threats. But yet I then thought it time to break silence, not only my interest being concern'd, but the publick, to discover to the world those persons that would he engaged in intrigues so unworthy of Learned men. I complain'd of it to the Lieutenant in Criminal Rh