Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 004.djvu/163

 {|
 * See Fig. III. || Feet. || Inch
 * The Circumference of the right Breast || 2. || 7
 * Of the left Breast || 3.  || 1½
 * The length of the right Breast from-the Coller-bone || 1. || 5½
 * The length of the left Brest|| 1. || 7½
 * The breadth of the right Breast as it lyes || 1. || 1
 * The breadth of the left || 1. 4½
 * }
 * The length of the left Brest|| 1. || 7½
 * The breadth of the right Breast as it lyes || 1. || 1
 * The breadth of the left || 1. 4½
 * }
 * The breadth of the left || 1. 4½
 * }

Thus farr, My lord, the matter of fact, faithfully related.

Now what should occasion those monstrous tumors of the whole Breasts, and that so suddenly in one night, keeps us in great suspence. There occurs nothing in this point satisfactory in the writings of Platerus, Rhodericus à Castro, Fontanus, Forestus, or any other of the Moderns, that I have seen, writing de Morbis Mulierum, suitable to what may be offer'd upon the Data of the Circulation of the Blood, the Lymphæducts, and the Vasa Chylifera Thoracica, and probably some Capillary vessels branching thence (in their progress to the Sub-clavials) through the Intercostal Muscles into the Breasts. I humbly beg pardon for this tediousness &c. Plymouth, July 18, 1669.

This Narrative having been produced and read at the R. Society, and the Author of it thanked for his communication, and desired to impart what he should further observe in this very odd Accident, he was pleased to write, some while after, a second Letter to the Publisher, as follows;

Had written to you ere this, but that I unhappily mislaid your Letter among other papers; but having, after much search, found it again, I return the Most Honorable Society and you my very humble thanks for your invitation of me to continue my Observations about the vnusuall swelling of the Breasts, heretofore described.

About the beginning of this month, our prodigious woman in Coughing brought up at several times some blood; but this I soon took off; and at that time there appeared several cutaneous ulcers upon her Breasts and other parts, & abundè in verendis (ut à fæminis edocebar) which last I cured; but those on her breasts in part remain, and daily discharge, by the sole