The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-11-27

applied blisters behind the ear, immers-
ed her feet, which, together with her
hands, were cold as marble, in hot wa
ter, and endeayored to force into her
mouth a little opium and ether. Whilst
the servants were busted about her, un-
dressing her, aud carrying my directions
into effect. l stepped for moment into
the adjoining room where i found my
wife just recovering from violent fit of
Mysteries. Her loud laughter, Though SO
near me, had not once heard, SO alb
sorbed was with the mournful case of
Miss P, After continuing with her
till she recovered sufficiently to accom-
pany me down stairs, / returned to Miss
P@'s bedroom. She continued ex-
actly in the condition in which 1 had
left her. Though the water was hot
enough almost to parboil her tender
feet, il produced no sensible effect on
the circulation or the state of the skin |;
and finding a strong determination of
blood towards the region of the head
and meek, i determined to have her cup
ped between the shoulders. ! went
down stairs to drop a line 10 the apoths-
cary, requesting him to come imme-
diaiely with his cupping instruments.
As l was delivering the note into the
hands of a servant, man rushed up to
the door where / was standing, and,
breathlsss with haste, begged my instant
attendance on a patient close by, who
had just met with severe accident.
Relying on the immediate arrival OF
Mr., the apothscary, l put on my
Nat and great coat, took my umbrella
and followed the man who had summon
ed me out. 1t rained in torrents, for
the storm, after about twenty minutes
intermission. burst forth again with un-
abated violence. The thunder and light
ming were really awful!
The new patient proved to be a not
ed and very profans boxer, who had in
returning home dislocated his ancle. His
pain and bIasphemies were horrible,
and during one of his imprecanons a
flash of lightning struck him dead.
| hurried home full of agitation at the
scene ! had just quilted. and melancho-
ly apprehensions concerning the one to
which ] was returning. On reaching
my lovely patients room. found, alas
no sensible effects produced by a very
active means which had been adopted.
She lay in bed,ths aspect of her features
apparently the same as when last
saw her. Her eyes were clossd-hsr
cheeks very pale. and mouth rather open.
as if she were on the point Of speaking.
The hair hung in a little disorder on
each side of her face, having escaped
from beneath her cap. My wife sat
beside her, grasping her right hand
weeping, and almost stupi6ed I; and tire
servant that was in the room when en-
tered, seemed SO bewildered ~ to be
worse than useless. As 1t was now near
ly nine o'clock, and getting dark, / or
dered candles. took one of them in
my hand, opened her eye-l,ds, and pass
ed and re-passed tho candle several
times before her eyes. but 1t produced
no apparent effect. Neither the eye-lids
blinked, nor the pupils contracted. i
then took out my penknife. and made q
thrus, with the open blade, as though ]
intended to plunge it into her right eye;
it seemed as if might have buried the
blade in the socket, for the shock or re-
sistence called by the attempt. took
her hand in mine--having for mo-
ment displaced my wife-and found it
damp and cold, but when suddenly left
il suspended, it continued 90 for few
moments, and only gradually resumed
its former situation. pressed the
back the blade of my pen knife upon
the flesh at the root of the nail, Zone of
the tendersst parts, perhaps, Of the
whole body,) but she evinced not the
slightest sensation of pain. ! shouted
suddenly and loudly in her ears; but
with similar i'll success. I felt at an ex-
tremity. Completely bafflsd at all points
discouraged and agitated beyond ex-
preston, l left Miss P in the care of
a nurse, whom had sent for to attend
upon her, at the instance of my wife,
and hastened to my study to see if my
books could throw any light upon the
nature of this, to me, new and inscruta-
BILE disorder. After hunting about for
some time, and finding but little to the
purpose, prepared for bed, determined
in the next morning to send off for Miss
P--'s mother, and Mr. NJ from
Oxford, and also to call upon my emf
nent friend DR.. D., and hear what
his superior skill and experience might
be able to suggest. In passing Miss
P-'s room, l stepped in to take my
farewell for the evening. "Beautiful,
unfortunate creature ~ thought ], rs !
stood gazing mournfully on her, with my
candle in my hand, leaning against the
bed post. "What mystery is upon theel
What f,1 cha n oo has ~or,c ~vo. .Lss7