Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 1.djvu/157

 encouraging intellectual pursuits, he never had been able to apply himself to acquiring any knowledge of business, or any thing beyond his ordinary school education. Upon investigating the cause of this inability, I found he had been subject to a head-ache for eight or more years, especially when he attempted to pursue any study in the commonest way, adapted to his time of life. It is now, however, more severe than ordinary across the os frontis, with a throbbing, greatly increased by stooping his head down. Pulse 80, rather full; tongue slightly coated; bowels regular. The medicines prescribed for him in London, I found had been vegetable tonics and aloetic purgatives, without any material benefit. Twelve leeches were immediately ordered to the temples; and half a drachm of powdered valerian, twice a-day, to be washed down with some infusion of calumbo in a state of effervescence; also some pills of antimonial powder and rhubarb, to be taken at bed time, to open the bowels, when necessary. On the 5th, he thought himself better after the leeches, but now again seems not much altered, his pulse varying from 80 to 90. The medicines were directed to be continued, and a blister was applied to the back of the neck. 11th. Pulse still keeps up, and his head is little or no better, though the blister discharged profusely, and irritated him excessively. Very little disturbance of the digestive organs. Still there is an unusual action of the heart, which is perceptible upon the most superficial examination, externally, and which never ceases: he is averse to any exertion, either mental or bodily, because it never fails to produce either vertigo, palpitation, or pain down