DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70301#0175
ELIZABETH WOODCOCK.
153
a clyster of mutton broth, which greatly relieved her, some
saline mixture, with antimonial wine and strong decoction of
bark, and three grains of opium in the course of a day. He
opened the vesications on her feet, and continued the use of
brandy as at first; clysters, opium, and bark, being continued
with port wine. The cold had extended its violent effects
from the end of the toes to the middle of the instep, includ-
ing more than an inch above the heels, and all the bottom of
the feet, which were mortified, and were poulticed with stale
beer and oatmeal boiled together. Inward cold, as she call-
ed it, affected her, and she desired the cataplasms might be
renewed as often as possible, and very warm. The 19th and
20th she was seized with violent diarrhcea, which occasioned
great weakness; and, two days after, several toes were so
loose as to be removed by the scissars. The 23d she was
taken up without fainting. All the toes were removed, and
the integuments from the bottom of one foot, except a piece at
the heel, which was so long before it loosened itself, that the os
calcis and tendo achillis had suffered. The sloughs on the
other foot were thrown off more slowly, and two of the toes
removed. All but one great toe was removed by the 17th;
and, on removing the sloughs from the heels, the bone was
bare in many places; and, w herever the mortification had
taken place, was one large sore, very tender. The sores were
much diminished, and the great toe taken off, by the end of
March, and an unusual sleepiness came on. By April 17,
the sores were free from slough, and daily lessened; her appe-
tite was tolerably good, and her general health began to amend;
but, with all these circumstances in her favour, she felt her-
self to be very uncomfortable; and, in fact, her prospect was
most miserable. For, though her life was saved, the muti-
lated state in which she was left, without even a chance of
ever being able to attend to the duties of her family, was almost
worse than death itself; for, from the exposure of the os
calcis, in all probability it would have required some months
vol. iv. x
153
a clyster of mutton broth, which greatly relieved her, some
saline mixture, with antimonial wine and strong decoction of
bark, and three grains of opium in the course of a day. He
opened the vesications on her feet, and continued the use of
brandy as at first; clysters, opium, and bark, being continued
with port wine. The cold had extended its violent effects
from the end of the toes to the middle of the instep, includ-
ing more than an inch above the heels, and all the bottom of
the feet, which were mortified, and were poulticed with stale
beer and oatmeal boiled together. Inward cold, as she call-
ed it, affected her, and she desired the cataplasms might be
renewed as often as possible, and very warm. The 19th and
20th she was seized with violent diarrhcea, which occasioned
great weakness; and, two days after, several toes were so
loose as to be removed by the scissars. The 23d she was
taken up without fainting. All the toes were removed, and
the integuments from the bottom of one foot, except a piece at
the heel, which was so long before it loosened itself, that the os
calcis and tendo achillis had suffered. The sloughs on the
other foot were thrown off more slowly, and two of the toes
removed. All but one great toe was removed by the 17th;
and, on removing the sloughs from the heels, the bone was
bare in many places; and, w herever the mortification had
taken place, was one large sore, very tender. The sores were
much diminished, and the great toe taken off, by the end of
March, and an unusual sleepiness came on. By April 17,
the sores were free from slough, and daily lessened; her appe-
tite was tolerably good, and her general health began to amend;
but, with all these circumstances in her favour, she felt her-
self to be very uncomfortable; and, in fact, her prospect was
most miserable. For, though her life was saved, the muti-
lated state in which she was left, without even a chance of
ever being able to attend to the duties of her family, was almost
worse than death itself; for, from the exposure of the os
calcis, in all probability it would have required some months
vol. iv. x