he Rectum
was inflamed, and partly gangrened, especially the internal Coat. In
two the lower Part of the Colon was inflamed, and there were several
livid Spots on its great Arcade. In one whose Body was much emaciated,
and who had been seized with a violent Pain of the Bowels two Days
before his Death, all the small Guts were red and inflamed; and in
another there were livid gangrened Spots on the Stomach[31].

[31] From the Accounts we have in Authors, of the Dissection
of the Bodies of Persons who died of the Dysentery, it would
appear; that there is no Part of the alimentary Canal which
has not some time or other been found inflamed, or in a state
of Suppuration or Gangrene; and the Liver, Spleen, and other
Viscera, have likewise been found diseased, but the Rectum
and Colon have almost in all been more or less affected. The
following Account I had, in the Year 1748, from the late Dr.
_L. Fraser_, who afterwards practised in the Island of
_Nevis_, two Days after the Patient died. _Mary Reid_, a
Woman thirty Years of Age, was taken ill of a Dysentery,
which in Three Weeks Time killed her. In her Life-time she
complained, more than ordinary, of Gripes in her Belly,
especially in her Left Side. Her Body was opened in Presence
of Dr. _Dundas_, who had attended her, during her Illness.
All the Intestines and Mesentery were inflamed, especially
the Colon and Rectum; the internal Side of which was quite in
a mortified State, and contained little Vesicles full of a
putrid fetid Liquor, Numbers of which she had evacuated by
Stool some Days before her Death.

There was no Disorder we were more successful in the Cure of, than
recent Fluxes; but after they had continued for Weeks, and were become
in a manner chronic, they often foiled all our Endeavours, and a great
Number died[32].

[32] While this Sheet was in the Press, I received Dr.
_Pringle_'s 4th Edition of his _Observations on the Diseases
of the Army_, and Dr. _Baker_'s Treatise on the _Dysentery
which was epidemic in London in the Year 1762_. Both these
Gentlemen give an Account of the Dissection of the Bodies of
some People who died of the Dysentery; where, besides the
common Appearances of the inner Surface of the Rectum and
Colon being covered with a bloody Slime, and their internal
Coats being inflamed, gangrened, or in a putrid State, there