Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 1.djvu/116

 To this, however, I had, but a few days ago, an exception in a little girl, Rachel Thewlis, æt. 4, who is an out-patient of the infirmary, and I am induced to mention this case as no inapt illustration of the protean nature of scrofula, and the power of the system to survive repeated attacks of disease. During the period of dentition, this child had been troubled with frequent looseness, and irregular febrile symptoms. Before the expiration of the second year, the belly was tumid and pain frequent, with some disposition to coma. These symptoms were, however, relieved for a short time, but the abdomen still appeared fuller than natural, and the stools often of a chylous appearance. At the period I first saw her, about a year and a half ago, she laboured under many of the symptoms of oppressed brain. The comatose state had lasted for two or three days, and, in fact, it was regarded on all hands as a case of hydrocephalus. From a general survey of all the symptoms and circumstances of the case, from the temperament and previous diseases of the child, I considered that a strumous habit had created a predisposition to cephalic effusion. There were in this case abdominal enlargement, and some indications of mesenteric affection, which induced me to employ a combination of ung. hydrarg. with hydriodate of potass, as a liniment to the belly, which was continued for several days. Except the repeated application of blisters near the head, and the internal use of the carbonate of soda and calomel, no other remedies were employed; but we were agreeably surprised to find that the size of the abdomen was somewhat diminished, but, above all, that the marks