(619)
not to mention innumerable Applications to his Forehead, and Potions. But instead of amendments, the distemper seem'd to be provoked by those Remedies, and this poor creature fell into that rage, that there was a necessity to bind him up from doing mischief. His Madness hath been always periodical, and never abated but by little and little, and that abatement hath befallen him rather at such times, when nothing was done to him, than when he was tormented with Medicines.
The last time that he relapsed into his Extravagancy, was about 4 months since, in a place 12 Leagues distant from Paris. And his Wife hearing of it, went immediately to him to relieve him. She soon shut him up, and was even constrained to tye him for some time, because he was in such an extraordinary rage as to beat her. But for all her care, one time he got loose stark naked, and ran away streight for Paris, no body knowing how he could find his way in the dark night. His Wife had him searched for in all the neighbouring Villages, whilst he ran here in Paris up and down the Streets, without finding any place to retire to, in regard that those, who had the charity of receiving him into their Houses the first days, knew very well the danger they were in, of having their Houles burnt over their heads.
He was not less outrageous in this last fit, than in the former. He hath spent 3 or 4 months without sleep, and his greatest divertisement during that time was, to tear the Clothes that were given him, to run naked abroad, and to burn in the Houses where he was whatever he could meet with. He mov'd to compassion all good people that saw him, and especially those in the Marais du Temple, where he was known to most, and where he had been wont to be seen before this distemper as well cloathed and fashioned, as any one of his condition could be.
Monsieur De Montmor, among others, was the person most touched with it, and resolved to employ his interests to procure him a place in one of the Hospitals. But first he thought on the Transfusion, and believed, there would be no danger in trying it upon this Man, being so persuaded by many Experiments we had already made in his presence. He therefore had been taken up for that end, and having sent for me and M. Emmerez to ask
