Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 1.djvu/160

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with that of Mr. H. P. I shall subjoin it. The case was attended by Dr. Williams and Mr. Ellis Jones, both of Liverpool, to whom I am indebted for the statement of the history; as I had only an opportunity of seeing the patient once, and then merely to confirm their opinion of the hopelessness of the case.

On theSOth of April, 1830, 1 visited Hugh Jones, set. 21, a cabinet maker, who laboured under orthopnoea, cough, and expectoration of bloody mucus, constant palpitation of the heart, with pain of the right side of the chest. He could only breathe when sitting erect, and having had no rest for several nights, he was overpowered with drowsiness, and exhausted from fatigue; he was greatly emaciated, and his legs were oedematous. His hopeless state afforded no opportunity for medical treatment, which opinion, indeed, had been given by Dr. Williams. His complaint commenced with palpitation of the heart, about four years before, and was then seen by Dr. Band and Mr. Banner, of this town, and, although he has pursued his employment from necessity, until within three weeks of his death, he has never felt well from his first attack of palpitation, at which time he applied to the dispensary. On the 25th he died, and Dr. Williams having obtained permission to examine the seat of disease, accompanied by Mr. Jones, I gladly availed myself of being present, bearing strongly in mind the case of Mr. H. P. and Dr. Brown's letter, just previously received.

Autopsy. — The instant the cartilages of the sternum were divided, a profuse effusion of bloody serum, in the cavity of the chest, made its escape;