DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70301#0190
168
kirby’s wonderful museum.
my pocket, and bade them count the knots. They found
seven, the exact number of nights I had been there. We
now hastened out of the wood. I could walk without sup-
port, but that was not allowed, each person striving to shew
me how much he rejoiced to find me alive and so well.
They led me to the miller’s house, where a great number of
people were collected to see me. A gentleman who had a
country-house just by, very kindly at my request sent for a
glass of white wine. I ordered a piece of bread to be
toasted, which I soaked in the wine and ate. I now desired
the miller’s wife to make me up a bed, fondly thinking that
nothing more was wanting than a little refreshing sleep to
terminate my misfortune. But, alas! I was still to undergo
greater sufferings than any I had yet endured. By the
almost continual rains, together with the cold damp arising
from the wet ground on which I lay, and not being able to
take the least exercise to keep up a proper circulation of
the blood, my legs were much swelled and benumbed.
Some of my friends observing this, proposed to send to
Glasgow for medical advice. I at first declined it, and happy
had it been for me if I had pursued my own inclinations;
but unfortunately for me a physician and surgeon were em-
ployed, both of them ignorant of what ought to be done.
Instead of ordering my legs into cold water, or rubbing them
■with a coarse towel, to bring on a gradual circulation, they
applied hot bricks and large poultices to my feet. This
treatment, by expanding the blood vessels too suddenly, put
me to much greater torture than I had ever endured in my
life, and not only prevented me from enjoying that refresh-
ing sleep which I so much wanted, but actually produced a
mortification in both feet. I do not mean, by relating this
circumstance, to reflect on the faculty in general at Glas-
gow, for I was afterwards attended by gentlemen who are an
honour to the profession. The same method was pursued .
for several days, without even giving me the bark, till I men-
kirby’s wonderful museum.
my pocket, and bade them count the knots. They found
seven, the exact number of nights I had been there. We
now hastened out of the wood. I could walk without sup-
port, but that was not allowed, each person striving to shew
me how much he rejoiced to find me alive and so well.
They led me to the miller’s house, where a great number of
people were collected to see me. A gentleman who had a
country-house just by, very kindly at my request sent for a
glass of white wine. I ordered a piece of bread to be
toasted, which I soaked in the wine and ate. I now desired
the miller’s wife to make me up a bed, fondly thinking that
nothing more was wanting than a little refreshing sleep to
terminate my misfortune. But, alas! I was still to undergo
greater sufferings than any I had yet endured. By the
almost continual rains, together with the cold damp arising
from the wet ground on which I lay, and not being able to
take the least exercise to keep up a proper circulation of
the blood, my legs were much swelled and benumbed.
Some of my friends observing this, proposed to send to
Glasgow for medical advice. I at first declined it, and happy
had it been for me if I had pursued my own inclinations;
but unfortunately for me a physician and surgeon were em-
ployed, both of them ignorant of what ought to be done.
Instead of ordering my legs into cold water, or rubbing them
■with a coarse towel, to bring on a gradual circulation, they
applied hot bricks and large poultices to my feet. This
treatment, by expanding the blood vessels too suddenly, put
me to much greater torture than I had ever endured in my
life, and not only prevented me from enjoying that refresh-
ing sleep which I so much wanted, but actually produced a
mortification in both feet. I do not mean, by relating this
circumstance, to reflect on the faculty in general at Glas-
gow, for I was afterwards attended by gentlemen who are an
honour to the profession. The same method was pursued .
for several days, without even giving me the bark, till I men-