This great lanthorn
of medicine is become very rich and very insolent; and in
proportion as his wealth increases, he is said to grow the more
rapacious. He piques himself upon being very slovenly, very
blunt, and very unmannerly; and perhaps to these qualifications
be owes his reputation rather than to any superior skill in
medicine. I have known them succeed in our own country; and seen
a doctor's parts estimated by his brutality and presumption.
F - is in his person and address not unlike our old acquaintance
Dr. Sm - ie; he stoops much, dodges along, and affects to speak
the Patois, which is a corruption of the old Provencial tongue,
spoken by the vulgar in Languedoc and Provence. Notwithstanding
his great age and great wealth, he will still scramble up two
pair of stairs for a fee of six livres; and without a fee he will
give his advice to no person whatsoever.
He is said to have great practice in the venereal branch and to
be frequented by persons of both sexes infected with this
distemper, not only from every part of France, but also from
Spain, Italy, Germany, and England. I need say nothing of the
Montpellier method of cure, which is well known at London; but I
have some reason to think the great professor F - , has, like the
famous Mrs. Mapp, the bone-setter, cured many patients that were
never diseased.
Be that as it may, I sent my valet de place, who was his townsman
and acquaintance, to his house, with the following case, and a
loui'dore.
Annum aetatis, post quadragesimum, tertium, Temperamentum
humidum, crassum, pituitarepletum, catarrhis saepissime
profligatum. Catarrhus, febre, anxietate et dyspnoea, nunquam non
comitatus. Irritatio membranae piuitariae trachaealis, tussim
initio aridam, siliquosam, deinde vero excreationem copiosam
excitat: sputum albumini ovi simillimum.
Accedente febre, urina pallida, limpida: ad akmen flagrante,
colorem rubrum, subflavum induit: coctione peracta, sedimentum
lateritium deponit.
Appetitus raro deest: digestio segnior sed secura, non autem sine
ructu perfecta. Alvus plerumque stipata: excretio intestinalis
minima, ratione ingestorum habita. Pulsus frequens, vacillans,
exilis, quandoquidem etiam intermittens.
Febre una extincta, non deficit altera. Aliaque et eadem statim
nascitur. Aer paulo frigidior, vel humidior, vestimentum
inusitatum indutum; exercitatio paulullum nimia; ambulatio,
equitatio, in quovis vehiculo jactatio; haec omnia novos motus
suscitant. Systema nervosum maxime irritabile, organos patitur.
Ostiola in cute hiantia, materiei perspirabili, exitum
praebentia, clauduntur. Materies obstructa cumulatur; sanguine
aliisque humoribus circumagitur: fit plethora. Natura opprimi
nolens, excessus huius expulsionem conatur. Febris nova
accenditur. Pars oneris, in membranam trachaealem laxatam ac
debilitatam transfertur. Glandulae pituitariae turgentes bronchia
comprimunt. Liber aeri transitus negatur: hinc respiratio
difficilis. Hac vero translatione febris minuitur: interdiu
remittitur. Dyspnoea autem aliaque symptomata vere
hypochondriaca, recedere nolunt. Vespere febris exacerbatur.
Calor, inquietudo, anxietas et asthma, per noctem grassantur. Ita
quotidie res agitur, donec.
