suddenly grown too large for, was several inches larger than was necessary to button round. He had been very much troubled with a singular disorder, in a part being inflamed with tetters, and finally produced an effect to prevent the possibility of voiding urine, by turns, without the assistance of the lancet: But this whole affection subsided in four or five days after the first electrification; he was able in a short space of time to proceed on a lengthy journey.

I will mention one case; it may reflect some light. A gentleman called on me at Ballston pool; he was troubled with a rigidity on the whole nervous system; he could move all his limbs a little, but they were stiff. I gave him sixty strong shocks, passing them on all parts; he tarried two hours, and was astonished to find, that after using many means, and all to no purpose, with great cost, he was now restored in two hours, with two shillings cost. He called to see me about twenty days after, and asked me if I thought that the shocks had any tendency to remove a dropsy: he said he had grown weary, not only of using means for help, but of even mentioning a complaint which had troubled him for years, and refused any kind of help from all means that had been prescribed by physicians. In a few hours after he left me, he said, he began to make water excessively; I think he said he made nearly a gallon in a few hours, and as the water was voided his old complaint grew less and less, and by the time the profusion of urine subsided, he was entirely well of his old disorder; the sensation of which, as he said, was a heavy load lodged in his bowels, as you might conceive of a cannon-shot; before, he knew not what to call it, but now he knew it was the dropsy. In what part this effusion was secreted I know not; or whether it was voided by some re-absorbency, or whether that is possible I know not. It puts me in mind of what I once read in Doctor Weiley's primitive physic, viz. "Electrifying cures dropsies, supposed incurable." What I have mentioned are the summary of my experiments in the internal dropsies.

It is my opinion that the readiest method of removing a dropsy in the abdomen, would be to extract the effusion by the catheter, and after this is done then you may electrify, merely as a preventative; and I think no one will dispute the expediency of such a treatment, nor have the least doubt of preventing a second effusion. I will affirm, that if a restoration of all the whole round of secretions, and all the various fluids, being duly prepared by attenuation, &c. is sufficient to prevent an unnatural effusion or secretion in the abdomen or any where else, it shall be prevented; but if the patients cannot submit to this operation, they may most certainly be relieved in a good degree, if not totally cured, by electricity. - The method I have pursued in this case, is similar

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