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Show 16 the Coluber Chersea, to whomhe administered it both externally andinternally, died notwithstanding in great agony. The prevention of canine madness is said to have arisen in a similar way bythe use of oil, and successful cases are related in Frank. Samml. T. B. 590. But experience, in other hands, has contradicted these positive assertions *. A more extraordinary effect of oil is reported by Mr. Baldwin, the British consul at Smyrna, who observed that amongst the numerous tribe of oil-porters, none were infected with the plague. Ledbythis hint, he proposed unction of the bodywith oil to keep off the plague ; andthe following was the result of the first trial. EUROPEAN OLIVE. EUROPEAN OLIVE. In the year 1792, twenty-two Venetian sailors lived five days with three infected persons, all of whom died; but the twenty-two sailors, who had been repeatedly anointed with the: oil, remainedfree fromthe infection., Three Armenian families, consisting of twenty-seven persons, occupying the same floor, closely attended the sick of the plague, but, being daily rubbed with oil, were preserved from the infection. The nurses, in our hospitals of Smyrna, who attend the sick night and day,” says Baldwin, ‘‘ by the same method have been happily preserved from contagion.” Afterthis the oil was employedinthe first stage s of the plague * The applicationof oil, in this count ry, does not appear to have been employed to the part bitten, but after wards exhibited to the patient upon the accession of the hydrophobia. Dr. Girdlestone tried it in one case, and he gives us this informatio n: “Immediately upon seeing him, I gave him a large cup of olive oil. He had much increase of convulsive action on his endeavours to swallow it; but after getting a little down, he swallowed the rest very hastily. The cooli ng and pleasant sensations, which the oil quickly produced, gave himat first great hopes; and he was able afterwards to swallow three cups with much less difficulty. 3ut towards evening he died.” At Sudbury, Dr. Maclean relates » partial frict ion in one case was employed for about an hour, unt il an oil bath could be procured. In this the patie patient remained te minutes : mained ten a ; when that une eta asiness, that horror, which hydrophobics constant ly express at the touch of ever y thing fluid whether hot or cold, irresistib ly caused him to spring from out the, howe head in which the oil was contained, with an agility that astonished alk around ; soon after which he died. Dr, Shadwell of Bren twood had also a case, where the patient’ s body was anointed with oil; and the aitempt being made to administer it internally, a clyster of mutton-broth andoil, as a succedaneum, was employed; but the patient in no wise seemed benefited, 17 at Smyrna, and with the happiest success. The body was rub. bed all over with tepid olive oil. A wine-pint was esteemed a cure. It is a curious coincidence, that the use of oil is mentioned in sacred writ. ‘* Let the sick be anointed with oil, and saved.” The Caffres, who constantly smear the body with lard, or oil, re« main free fromthe yellow fever; andthe Esquimaux tribes, who also regale onseal oil, remain also free; and when the plague raged in London, tallow-melters and butchers were found exempt. Instead of clogging up the pores, as might be suspected by some, the pores became open,:and the consequence of the oil was to produce a salutary sweat. I know but of one case wherethis remedy was tried in our common typhus, or putrid fever. Being requested, says Dr. Fothergill, to visit a poor boy named Thomas Counteyin 2 wretchedlodging in a narrow alley in Bath, on the sixth day of a fever, I found the surface of the body discoloured with pur. ple petechie ; attended with great prostration of strength, low tremulous pulse, inquietude, delirium, &c. Though these sym- ptoms, and the advanced state of the disease, seemed to pres clude all hopes of success from eitherinternal or external remedies ; yet, rather than abandon him to despair, the whole body was directed to be rubbed with olive oil every four hours, if Strength would permit, and its operation to be aided by warm whey, accompanied by a suitable diet of gruel, and arrow-root, and he took a moderate dose of castor oil, as coincic ing with the general plan. After some time his parched skin became moistened, and at length he broke ont into afull perspiration. Bycontinuing this simple plan all the alarming symptoms sub. sided, the purple spots vanished, and his recovery was speedy beyond my expectation. Nosooner, continues Dr. Fothergill, had the lad recovered, when the poor woman, his mother, who nursed him through the illness, was seized with evident symptoms of having caught the infection. The above-mentioned process being instantly per. formed, and having now much less difficulty to encounter, this newplan wasvery speedily and strikingly crowned with success. Dr. Oliver* relates (Philosophical Transactions, vol. xlix. p, 49) * Au eminent physician of Bath, who wrete on the Bath waters, e |