INIn obedience to your Grace's Commands, I have penned the Circumstances of a not common Medical observation, viz. the Excision of a stone from under the tongue. And I here withherewith present your Grace also with the stone its self, as I had it from the person it was taken.* *This Stone is now in the custody of the R. Society, to whom it was presented afterwards.

As to the occasion and time of its birth, he tels me, (My Lord, you may be pleas'd to give firm Credit to every particular, that he hath answered me at your Grace's instance) it was from a winter Sea-voyage, which lasted much longer than he expected, and wherein he suffered an exceeding cold; and that, not long after his landing, he found a certain Nodus or hard lump in the very place whence this stone was cut. There was about 8 years betwixt its breading and being taken away.

As to its growth, and the inconveniences thence ensuing; he further saith, that upon all fresh cold-taking, he suffered much pain in that part was no more painful than the rest of his mouth. He adds, that towards the 7th and 8th year it did often cause (4063) sudden swellings in all the Glanduls about the mouth and throat upon the first draught of beer at meals; which yet would in a short time fall again.

Lastly, as to the particulars remarkable at the time of its being taken away, he relates; That it began its work with a sudden vertigo; which vertiginous disposition continued more or less from Spring 'till August; in which month, without any præviousprevious cause save riding, the place where it was lodged suddainly swelled, and ran purulent matter at the aperture of the ductus Whartonianus: that it suddainly stopped of its running (which he cannot attribute to any thing but Cold,) and swelled with a great inflammation, and very great danger of choaking; it being scarce credible, what pain the party suffered in endeavouring to swallow even beer, or any liquid thing.

This extremity lasted 5 days, in all which time, the party had so vast a flux of spittle running from him, that it was not possibe for him to repose his head to sleep, without wetting all the bed about him; insomuch as that it was very much questioned by some friendly visitants, whether he had not of himself, or by mistake, made use of some Mercurial medicine.

The varieties or degrees of this spontaneous salivation were such, that he urged me not to omit them in the relation I was to make to your Grace, as thinking them very notable.

The first day, the saliva ran thin and transparent, almost like water without any bubles. The 2 day it ran frothy; it tasted salt, (which yet he is apt to think hot rather than really salt, beacuse that day the inflammation was at the height). The 3 day it roaped exceedingly; on which day a small pin-hole broak directly over the place of the Stone and ran with purulent matter as formerly. The 4 day the saliva ran insipid, sensibly cold in the mouth; (which again confirms me in that opinion, that the former sharp tast was the effect of heat, and not the immediate quality of a salt humour;) very little frothy. The 5 day (which was the day of the incision,) it ran as on the 4th but left an extream claminess on the teeth, insomuch that they often clave together, as though they had been joyned together with glue.

Upon the incision, which proved not wide enough, the membranes or baggs, wherein the Stone lay, came away first. As to the Stone it self, it was so hard as to endure the forcipes in drawing it (4064) forth; it was covered over with a grass green matter, which soon dryed, and left the stone of a whitish colour, as it is to be seen. It is but light in proportion to its bulk, weighing about 7 grains; and 'tis much of the shape of our ordinary horse-beans. There are visible impressions upon it of some Capillary and small vessels, it was bred amongst. Lastly, it is scabrous or rough, sand- like, although the substance is Tophaceous.

The Accidents accompaning the working away of this Stone, (for the incision was merely obsterical,) and the place of its birth give occasion to call the distemper a Ranula. Yet in truth this was nothing else but one of those Tumours called Atheroma; and therefore we will name it lapis Atheromatis.