Note 95 — OF Paralytic Complaints.

On Wednesday the 1st of February 1764, Margaret Julion, a Woman between fifty and sixty Years of Age, was admitted into St. George’s Hospital for an entire Loss of Speech, which seemed to depend on a paralytic Disorder of the Parts about the Larynx. The Account her Friends who came with her to the Hospital gave of her Case was, that she had been for five Months troubled at Times with Pains of her Bowels, and a Purging; that on Sunday se’night before coming to the Hospital, she had suddenly lost the Use of her Speech, and had not spoke since that Time, though she seemed to hear and understand whatever was said to her. I asked her some Questions, which she answered distinctly by Signs. She had no paralytic Complaint of her Face, Arms, Legs, or any other Part of her Body, and swallowed both Fluids and Solids with Ease. She had no Fever, and seemed to complain of nothing but the Loss of Speech.—A Blister was applied to her Neck, and she was ordered the saline Draughts, with a Scruple of Powder of Valerian in each, to be taken three Times a-day, and a Dose of sacred Tincture, to be taken twice a-Week. She followed this Course for a Fortnight, when another Blister was applied to the Fore-part of the Neck, and the Powder of Valerian in the Draughts was changed for two Drachms of the tinctura valeriana volatilis. At the End of three Weeks she could pronounce the two Words Why, What. She continued the same Course till this Day, the 16th of March, and can now pronounce many Words and short Sentences.