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 ■\
 
 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE 
 
 OF 
 
 MISS MARGARET M c AVOY; 
 
 WITH 
 
 AN ACCOUNT 
 
 SOME OPTICAL EXPERIMENTS 
 
 CONNECTED WITH IT. 
 
 By THOMAS RENWICK, M. D. 
 
 physician to the Liverpool infirmary. 
 
 IVfClS PLATO AMIitS SOCIUTES, SLH Hif.l. nj;i I IER1T.IS A1USTOT. 
 
 Lon&on : 
 
 PRINTED FOR BALDWIN, CBADOCK, AND JOY ; i \ unnvooD AND BLACKS J i\n .1. CALLOW ; 
 
 W. SRAPBL, LIVBRFOOL J SOWLBB, MANCHB8TBR J CON8TABL1 IND CO. 1MB 
 
 » . BLACKWOOD) I DINBI BOH J i. LIB J. M. m M vv . <■ I v-c.nw ; 
 
 .-, R I) i IMMIM.. HI BLIN. 
 
 1817.
 
 Printed by Smith and Galway, 
 Liverpool.
 
 - - F 
 
 - 
 
 TO 
 
 GILBERT MACLEOD, Esq. 
 
 GLOUCESTER TLACE, 
 
 XonDon, 
 
 THESE PAGES ARE INSCRIBED, AS A SMALL TESTIMONY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE ESTEEM AND AFFECTIOX 
 
 of nis 
 
 SINCERE FRIEND, 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 Liverpool, 18M October, 1817.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 THE publication of the following narrative has been deferred partly 
 on account of the frequent attacks of disease to which Miss M'Avoy 
 has been liable even to the present time, but more particularly from 
 the wish I had, that individuals who were sceptical upon the subject, 
 should, by frequent examinations, ascertain the fact of deception, or 
 the contrary. In an investigation of this nature, a cool and dispas- 
 sionate judgement should be encouraged, and a hasty and prejudiced 
 opinion avoided ; but it is not easy to obtain this happy medium. I 
 will not pay myself the compliment to say thai I possess it, but I 
 certainly did wish it to be possessed by those who doubted the powers 
 ascribed to Miss M'Avoy. I am well aware that tin- deception which 
 has been proved in the case of Aim Moore, as well as the detection of 
 the reveries of Johanna Southcote, have made people cautious of 
 
 b
 
 \ 1 PRBFAI I 
 
 hazarding opinions upon cases of this extraordinany nature, which have 
 not the sanction of repeated trials to confirm their truth. 
 
 The certainty of Miss M'Avoy's blindness having taken place on 
 the 6th or 7'h of June, 1816, was not disputed; hut the moment when 
 it was declared, that she was capahle of distinguishing colours, reading, 
 8cc. it was determined she must of necessity see, as the possession of 
 such a power could not he allowed so soon after the multitude had been 
 convicted of incautious belief. Hence a difficulty has occurred in 
 inducing individuals who were intitled to some rank in literary society 
 to visit her. Their absence has been however amply supplied by the 
 influx of visitors of all descriptions, many of whom have been possessed 
 of at least equal attainments, and who believe that .Miss M'Avoy does 
 possess very extraordinary powers. Many of the circumstances 
 attendant upon this case are of a very peculiar nature ; but in several 
 points the following examples are proofs, that occurrences something 
 similar have taken place before. In those instances, where loss of vision 
 has happened at an early period, a superior acuteness in touch, in 
 smell, in taste, or in hearing, has often been dispensed by an all- 
 wise Providence to those afflicted with blindness ; and there are a few 
 instances where similar effects have been produced at a much later 
 period of life. In the case of James Mitchell, published by Mr. 
 \\ 'ardrop in 1813, the preternatural acuteness his sense of touch, of 
 Mnell, and of taste, had acquired) appeared to have supplied, in an 
 astonishing manner, the deficiencies in the senses of seeing and hearing.
 
 PREFACE. Vll 
 
 There is also on record a case somewhat analogous to this of Miss 
 M'Avoy, in a lady who, when advanced in years, was seized with 
 the confluent small pox, which deprived her of her sight, her hear- 
 ing, and her speech. She was afflicted also with convulsions, which 
 agitated her whole body, and produced such a stricture in the 
 throat as prevented her from swallowing any kind of aliment, either 
 solid or liquid, for nearly three quarters of a year. During this 
 time she w r as supported in an uncommon manner. She chewed her 
 food, turning it often, and keeping it long in her mouth, until at 
 last she spat it out. She gargled her mouth with certain liquids 
 for some time, and returned them in a similar manner as her food, 
 no part having passed down the throat by any apparent act of de- 
 glutition : she must therefore have been supported by the proper 
 vessels of the mouth absorbing a portion of the food, or possibly by a 
 veiy small quantity trickling down along the gullet into the stomach. 
 
 During the privation of her sight and hearing, her touch and smell 
 became so exquisite that she could distinguish the different colours of silk 
 and flowers, and know when any stranger was in the room. After she be- 
 came blind, and deaf, and dumb, it was not easy to contrive a method by 
 which a question could be asked her and an answer received. This 
 power was at last effected by talking with the fingers, at which she was 
 uncommonly expert. But those who conversed with her in this manner 
 were obliged to express themselves by touching her fingers instead of 
 their OWh. This lady had a great antipathy to be seen hy Strangers,
 
 YiU PRBFA< i 
 
 and generally retired to her chamber, where none but those of the 
 family were likely to conic. An accident convinced her relatives thai 
 her power of smelling was acute and refined in an astonishing degree, 
 and at least equal to the exquisite sensibility of her touch. The same 
 relation who had been the means of discovering that she possessed the 
 power of distinguishing colours, one day visited the family, went up to 
 this lady's chamber, and entreated her to go down and sit with her 
 amongst the rest of the family, assuring her that there was no other 
 person present ; to this she at last consented and went down to the 
 parlour door ; but the moment the door was opened, she turned back 
 and retired to her own chamber much displeased, alleging that there 
 were strangers iu the room, and that an attempt had been made to 
 deceive her. That strangers were present, was really the case, but the 
 lady was not aware of it, they having come in while she was above stairs. 
 When informed of the real state of the circumstance, she was pacified ; 
 and upon being asked afterwards how she knew there were strangers in 
 the room, she answered by the smell. The difference between those 
 with whom she was well acquainted and strangers was more readily 
 distinguished than one acquaintance from another, and she seemed to 
 require other assistance than the sense of smell. As a mean of making 
 themselves known to her, they usually presented their hands, which 
 she felt. The form and temperature of the hand produced generally 
 the necessary distinction ; but she sometimes was accustomed to span 
 the wrist and measure the fingers. A lady with whom she was well 
 acquainted, coming in one veiy hot day after having walked a mile, 
 presented her hand as usual ; she felt it longer than ordinary, and
 
 PREFACE. IX 
 
 seemed to doubt whose it was ; but after spanning the wrist and mea- 
 suring the fingers, she said it is Mrs. M. but she is wanner to-day than 
 ever I felt her before. To amuse herself under these distressing cir- 
 cumstances, she used to work much at her needle, and it was remarked 
 that her needle-work was extremely neat and exact. She used also 
 sometimes to write, and her writing was yet more extraordinary than 
 her needle-work. It was executed with regularity and exactness ; the 
 character was very pretty, the lines were even, and the letters placed 
 at regular distances from each other. But the most astonishing 
 particular with respect to her writing was, that she could by some 
 means discover when a letter had been, from mistake, omitted, and 
 she would place it over that part of the word, where it shoud have 
 been inserted, with a caret under it. These circumstances were so very 
 extraordinary, that it was long doubted whether she had not some faint 
 remains both of hearing and sight, and many experiments were made 
 to ascertain the matter ; some of these she accidentally discovered, and 
 the discovery always threw her into violent convulsions, so poignantly 
 did she feel any suspicion of insincerity or deceit. Her family were at 
 last perfectly convinced, from experiments and several accidental cir- 
 cumstances, that she was totally deaf and blind. Sir Hans Sloane, her 
 physician, being still doubtful of the truth of the facts, which were 
 scarce less than miraculous, was permitted to satisfy himself by such 
 experiments and observations as he thought proper ; the issue of which 
 was that lie pronounced her to be deaf and blind.* 
 
 * For a more detailed account of this case, vm2< Encyclopedia Brit Uticli Blindness.
 
 X PREFACE. 
 
 In confirmation of the extraordinary powers which arc sometimes 
 conferred upon the blind, I have transcribed an account of a French 
 lady,* blind from her infancy, who could read, write, and play at 
 cards. &c. 
 
 " A young gentlewoman of a good family in France, now in her 18th 
 year, lost her sight when only two years old, her mother having been 
 advised to lay some pigeon's blood on her eyes, to preserve them, in 
 the small pox ; whereas, so far from answering the end, it ate into them. 
 Nature, however, may be said to have compensated for the unhappy 
 mistake, by beauty of person, sweetness of temper, vivacity of genius, 
 quickness of conception, and many talents Which certainly must 
 alleviate her misfortune. 
 
 " She plays at cards with the same readiness as others of the party ; 
 she first prepares the packs allotted to her, by pricking them in several 
 parts, yet. so imperceptibly that the closest inspection can scarce 
 discern her indexes. f She sorts the suits, and arranges the cards in 
 their proper sequence, with the same precision, and nearly the same 
 facility, as they who have their sight. All she requires of those who 
 play with her, is to name every card as it is played ; and these she 
 
 * Mademoiselle de Salignac, born at Xaintonge. 
 
 f In this respect she is equalled, if not excelled, by Mr. Stanley, organist of St. Andrew's, 
 Holborn, who, though blind almost from his birth, play* at whist as well as most men.
 
 PREFACE. Xi 
 
 retains so exactly, that she frequently performs some notable strokes, 
 such as shew a great combination and strong memory .* 
 
 "The most wonderful circumstance is, that she should have learned 
 to read and write ; but even this is readily believed on knowing her 
 method. In writing to her, no ink is used, but the letters are pricked 
 down on the paper, and by the delicacy of her touch, feeling each 
 letter, she follows them successively, and reads every word with her 
 finger's ends.f She herself, in writing, makes use of a pencil, as she 
 could not know when her pen was diy ; her guide on the paper is a 
 small thin ruler, and of the breadth of her writing. On finishing a 
 letter she wets it, so as to l\\ the traces of her pencil, that they niav 
 
 * The reader may observe, from this account, that the French lady has nothing to boast of, in 
 Which she is not excelled by the gentleman already mentioned, except reading and writing. The 
 works peculiar to her sex are gained mechanically ; but the distinguishing colours, telling the pre- 
 cise time by a watch, naming the notes m music, and many other things depending upon the ear 
 and touch, are so familiar to Mr. Stanley, that his friends cease to think them extraordinary in him. 
 His naming the number of persons in a room, on entering it ; his directing his voice to each person 
 in particular, even to strangers, when they have once spoken; his missing any person absent ; his 
 telling who that person is ; his conceptions of youth, beauty, symmetry, and shape, are such won- 
 derful attainments as are, perhaps, all peculiar to himself, with which nothing thai is reported of 
 
 the French lady can be brought iu competition. See Annual Hi "ister, Vol. LXII. page 048, 
 
 article Natural History. 
 
 f Cardinal Albani, although quite blind, had acquired, by the exquisite delicacy of his touch, 
 and tin combining powers of his mind, such a sense of ancient beauty, that he excelled all the 
 virtuosi of his time, iu Rome, in the correctness of Ins knowledge ol the Terirj and peculiarities of 
 tin smallest medals and intaglios. Vide Gait's 1<J'< «f West, pagi 103,
 
 xii PREFACE. 
 
 not be obscured or effaced ; then proceeds to fold and seal it, and write 
 the direction, all by her own address and without the assistance of any 
 other person. Her writing is very straight, well cut, and the spelling 
 do less correct. To reach this singular mechanism, the indefatigable 
 cares <>t' her affectionate mother were long employed, who accustomed 
 her daughter to feel letters cut in cards or pasteboard, brought her to 
 rffiatin giriah an a from a b, and thus the whole alphabet, and afterwards 
 to spell words ; then, by the remembrance of the shape of the letters, 
 to delineate them on paper ; and lastly, to arrange them so as to form 
 words and sentences. She has learned to play on the guitar, and has 
 even contrived a way of pricking down the tunes as an assistance to her 
 memory. So delicate are her organs, that in singing a time, though 
 new to her, she is able to name the notes. In figured dances, she 
 acquits herself extremely well, and in a minuet, with inimitable ease 
 and gracefulness. As for the works of her sex she has a masterly hand ; 
 she sews and hems perfectly well ; and in all her works she threads the 
 needles for herself, however small. By the watch, her touch never fails 
 telling her exactly the hour and minute."* 
 
 If I were to give an equally detailed account of other blind persons, 
 whose particular talents were brought forth to public view, I should 
 swell these pages into a large volume. It will be sufficient, however, to 
 
 ' The late Mr. William Graham, of Dumfrieshirc, played at whist very well. He pricked the 
 cords with a fine needle as quickly as you could give them to him, and he scarcely ever made a 
 mistake. I think he must have distinguished the colour of the cards. He had been a pupil of the 
 Blind Asylum, and was expert in several branches of manufacture.
 
 PREFACE. xiii 
 
 name Mrs. Walkeir of Geneva, as reported by Bishop Burnet, Mr. 
 Stanley, Dr. Blacklock, Dr. Moysc, Mr. Gough of Kendal, Mr. 
 Cheese of Manchester, Mr. Casson of Liverpool, as instances in 
 which the powers of the mind were given, under the misfortune of 
 blindness, to the attainment of philosophical science, classical erudi- 
 tion, polite literature, or a scientific knowledge of music. These 
 instances will be sufficient to prove that blind people have the power of 
 becoming very useful and valuable members of society, if their abilities 
 be directed to the proper point. It will show the importance of in- 
 quiring minutely into the nature of the abilities each blind person may 
 possess, and of encouraging them to prosecute the improvement of any 
 particular talent to its utmost extent. Indeed when blindness becomes 
 the misfortune of the poor and wretched, what can be more conciliating 
 to their feelings than the attention of the rich, in affording them the 
 common comforts of life ; and who, by placing them in a situation to 
 learn different employments, to become conversant in music, Sec. and 
 to obtain an honourable and comfortable independence, will be amply 
 repaid by the gratification it will afford them, in observing the efforts 
 they have made in their behalf crowned with the wished-for success. 
 
 In the hope that the friends of Miss M'Avoy sometime hence may 
 permit the visits of respectable individuals to examine more fully into 
 the nature of this power she is supposed to possess, and to ascertain. 
 by such experiments as they may think proper, the truth of the following 
 statement, I will take the liberty of proposingthe mode which appeal* to 
 
 c
 
 XiV PREFACE. 
 
 me the most likely to attain this object in a very perfect maimer. The 
 present state of Miss M'Avoy's health is so precarious, that there can 
 be no certainty of the disease being completely subdued in any reason- 
 able time ; yet I hope, as there is just now a considerable amendment 
 in many of the symptoms, that it may be continued, so as ultimately 
 to restore her to health. The nature of the disease renders the nervous 
 fibre extremely irritable, and great caution is requisite not to agitate 
 ami alarm her by any suspicions of her incapacity to do what she pro- 
 fesses, and to show no doubt of her possessing the power during the 
 time of examination ; nor to express these doubts afterwards, if they 
 mean to make other trials, lest they should be related to her again by 
 persons who are imprudently officious. Experimentalists, who have 
 only the investigation of truth in view, will use every delicacy in their 
 examination towards a female so unfortunately situated as to health, 
 and they will endeavour, by polite attention and quiet manners, to con- 
 ciliate her regard. By this means, any fear she might have had of 
 being subjected to unpleasant measures, in blindfolding her, would be 
 avoided ; or if they did occur in a few of the first trials, they would at 
 last be done away with ; and I think she will then readily convince 
 them there is no imposition practised. In the course of the narrative, 
 the different modes of blindfolding her are detailed, and I should 
 recommend them to be tried in the first instance, because, having been 
 those to which she has been accustomed, she will have less anxiety 
 about the result. I have always found it preferable to determine upon 
 one plan at once, and never to change it on the day of trial, if I could
 
 PREFACE. XV 
 
 avoid it. For instance, if the handkerchief be used, let the person first 
 tiy it upon himself, and then if he thinks he is blindfolded, let hiin try 
 it in a similar manner upon Miss M'Avoy. On the next day let the 
 gogglers be used, after they have been tried upon himself, and so on 
 with the gold beater's skin, as described in the course of the narrative. 
 When he has ascertained whether she possesses the powers ascribed to 
 her, he may commence any new trial. He is now become so much 
 acquainted with Miss M'Avoy, and she with him, that her fears will 
 be done away with, and he may make the experiments by closing down 
 the eyelids with his own fingers, whilst an assistant presents the silk, 
 the watch, the book, or any thing he may wish her to describe ; or he 
 may give her a colour behind her, or in such a situation sideways as 
 would render it impossible for her to see the colour presented, even if 
 she had perfect vision. He might then try her with a sheet of paper, 
 pasteboard, or any other substance he may chuse, held at different, 
 distances between her mouth and her lap, that he may know at what 
 distance the breathing seems to have any influence, or whether the 
 obstruction is evident to her when within a few inches of it, i. e. at the 
 distance where she reads through the plain or the magnifying glass. If 
 the gold beater's skin be made use of, it is chiefly necessary that the 
 eyelid should be closed down, and the gold beater's skin sewed with as 
 fine sewing silk or thread as can be obtained, upon muslin or Persian 
 silk. The size should be equal to the globe of the eye, and ought to 
 press a little farther than upon the lower orbit of the eye. When 
 wetted with water, or applied after the outward part of the eye has 
 been wetted with a sponge wrung out of water, it is to be neatly fitted
 
 xvi pnr.i a< i:. 
 
 over die eyeball, &c. and held there with a soft handkerchief until it 
 adhere. The same is to be done with the other eye. The gold beater's 
 akin, covered by a piece of cotton velvet or black cloth, so large that 
 it may nearly reach the eyebrow, above the nose on one side, the upper 
 part of the cheek hone on the other, and below, is then to be applied 
 and pressed with the handkerchief until it be perfectly diy. A silk 
 handkerchief tied over the whole when they are moist, will occasion the 
 pieces to adhere firmly, and when taken off separately, which can with 
 great care sometimes be done, the lower covering as well as the upper 
 is observed to adhere so closely that the skin of all the parts appear to 
 be drawn out upon taking the covering off. The gold beater's skin 
 must always be renewed after each trial. I have tried once a tin box 
 with a funnel, similar to that in which tea is passed into bags at the 
 tea dealers. From the end of the funnel, which was soldered into 
 the box, issued two small pipes into each side of the box. The sides 
 of the box were so open as to admit a hand on each side. Two wafers 
 were said to be told when 1 first sent the machine up to her, but she 
 named no colours to me. When the hands were placed in the box, 
 there must have been a slight degree of light, but there appeared to be 
 a reflection from the tin which caused an unpleasant feeling to Miss 
 M'Avoy. I tore off the funnel, and the pipes were so small, that, if 
 Miss M'Avoy had blown into them, I doubt if the breath would have 
 been felt upon the hands. This, however, may be tried again, or Dr. 
 Trail's box, which is not dissimilar to this, and being to be made of 
 wood, may have fewer objections than the tin. Mr. Martin's plan is 
 to affix a piece of board in such a way to her nose and mouth, that
 
 PREFACE. XVii 
 
 they may be perfectly free to communicate with the object before her, 
 but that the eyes should be so placed as to have no chance of seeing, if 
 they were possessed of vision. 
 
 The only objection I have to machines of this kind is, first, that they 
 convey a doubt that the former trials have not been sufficient, and, of 
 course, that she is suspected of imposition. This idea conveyed to 
 her occasions agitation, always diminishes, and often destroys the 
 power. Secondly, if means can be found to blindfold her, which shall 
 not convey unpleasant sensations to her feelings, why may we 
 not be content with them, as a multiplicity of apparatus cannot be 
 necessary to produce conviction to the mind of the most sceptical ? 
 and, thirdly, if surgeons, oculists, and medical men believe the optic 
 nerve to be so injured by the compression of the brain, that the sight 
 is in this case completely destroyed, why should other persons, who 
 have not examined so minutely the diseased appearance of the 
 eyes, deny the assertions of respectable men, and still assert Miss 
 M'Avoy can see? I believe, however, from what I have seen in attend- 
 ing these examinations, that whatever new plan were tried and suc- 
 ceeded in, would only be good for the time, and another would be 
 proposed, and so on, until the patience of the observer, of the person 
 upon whom the experiments were made, and, finally, of those who were 
 so repeatedly renewing their experiments, was completely exhausted. 
 The optical phenomena connected with this case are extraordinary, 
 and exceed, in many material points, all the cases I have seen detailed.
 
 XVlll PREFACE. 
 
 From the various experiments I have made upon the eyes themselves, 
 I am perfectly convinced the retina receives no impression from any 
 ray of light falling upon it. The experiments made by Mr. Brandreth 
 and me before, and more particularly on the 29th of September, in 
 the presence of Dr. Mackenzie, a physician to the forces, and a 
 gentleman, I am informed, who was upon the medical staff of Lord 
 Wellington, plainly show veiy great derangement in them ; and the 
 nature of the previous illness, which in a certain degree still continues, 
 would lead us to suppose, that though the more material compression 
 of the brain be relieved by the discharge of fluid from the brain, yet 
 that there was still some obstruction to the due performance of all its 
 functions, or of the nerves connected with it. If Miss M'Avoy should 
 hereafter recover her health, I shall feel much pleasure ; and if, along 
 with the restoration of her health, she should regain her sight also, of 
 which I have no hope, it will still be a higher satisfaction to me. 
 Opinions upon a case of this kind should be given with openness and 
 candour, and they ought to be founded upon actual observation of the 
 state of the eyes ; but if this examination be not esteemed satisfactory, 
 other experiments should be made to ascertain the fact of blindness, or 
 the contrary. 
 
 1 have generally related only what I have observed myself in the 
 detail of the succeeding narrative; but I am informed many other 
 individuals have visited her, and have made their own observations 
 upon the nature of this extraordinary power. The Rev. Thomas
 
 PREFACE. XIX 
 
 Glover has been kind enough to transmit to me a copy of the experi- 
 ments he made from the 30th of July to the 3d of August, which is 
 inserted in the narrative. I was present during the trial of most of the 
 experiments on the 2d of August, and can testify to the truth of them. 
 I might observe also, that Mr. Thomas Glover came to Liverpool as 
 completely sceptical as any other individual, but went away particularly 
 satisfied that the reports he had heard of Miss M'Avoy were founded 
 in truth. 
 
 I shall now conclude these prefatoiy observations, and shall submit 
 the whole to the public, with the hope that they will endeavour to 
 satisfy themselves of the truth of the statement, by a personal exami- 
 nation of Miss M'Avoy. 
 
 REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 
 
 A A tlie edges, encircled with cotton wool inside and out. 
 
 15 15 the strings which cross under the nose, and are tied at the back of the head. 
 
 C the strings tied under the chin.
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page 44, line '20, for ribband read riband. 
 
 49, 20, for aromct read aromat. 
 
 53, 5, for stripes read strips. 
 
 54, 23, for ribband read riband. 
 GO, 1, for evening read nitf/if. 
 
 61, 19, after 6/«e dele , and insert it after purple. 
 
 82, 6, for upon read n<»ar. 
 63, 9, for plain read plane. 
 
 88, 1, for Captain Hornby, of the Navy, read <Ae Rev. George Hornby. 
 
 — 27, for Captain Hornby read 3/r. George Hornby. 
 
 89, 3, for Captain read Mr. George. 
 
 — 8, for Captain read il/r. George. 
 108, 6, after belladonna read hoicever. 
 
 8, 12, of the Appendix, for eeen read ever.
 
 Preface, page vi, line 1, for extraordinany read extraordinary, 
 ix, 12, for shoud read should, 
 
 xiii, 2, for Z)r. Moyse read Dr. Moyes. 
 
 xix, 4j for 2d August read l.v< August. 
 
 Narrative, 28, 2, foot note, insert ; after distinctly. 
 
 U4, 0, after riband dele of her hat.
 
 NARRATIVE. 
 
 The subject of the following case was born on the '28th June, 1800. From 
 her birth to nine months old, I am informed, she was a healthy child, and able 
 then to walk alone ; but during the following nine months was often indisposed. 
 Her complaints increased, and at last were of so serious a nature, that her death 
 was looked upon as inevitable, by her friends and medical attendants. Tliis 
 opinion was fortunately premature, as she was suddenly relieved by a discharge 
 of a thick matter from the ear and nostrils. A change of air Ik Ing ad\ ised, her 
 friends removed her into the country, where a residence of seventeen week- re- 
 established her health. Upon her return she was attacked with scarlet lev er, and 
 afterwards with hooping cough, which continued tor m\ months, with BO much 
 violence as to cause blood to be discharged from the eyes, nose, :u\d ears. The 
 hooping cough was succeeded by an aflection of the eyes, w hieli severely afflii 
 her, and was attended with a very considerable and constant discharge ofa bloody 
 watery fluid. Her friends despaired of saving the eyes, bul no professional man 
 was employed. The applications made use of were of the most simple kind, such 
 
 A
 
 » NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 as brandy diluted with water, bread and water poultices, rose water, conserve of 
 roses, and, once, blisters behind the ears. These remedies produced no material 
 benefit ; the disease gradually increased, and the exposure to light caused in- 
 supportable pain. When the eye-lids were raised up, the eye-balls appeared as 
 one mass of blood. A friend recommended Johnston's Golden Ointment, which 
 was made use of with great benefit, and in a very short time the pain and irrita- 
 bility of the eyes were entirely removed. She now gradually recovered her 
 sight ; perfectly with the right eye ; but the left was so weak she could scarcely 
 open it, and saw every thing as it were through a mist. In appearance she con- 
 tinued delicate ; but her appetite was good, nor could she be said to be un- 
 healthy, until the month of October, 1814. About this period she caught a 
 violent cold, attended with cough, loss of appetite, and great debility. Worm 
 powders, senna tea, and tincture of rhubarb were given at different times, from 
 which she ultimately received relief. In February 1815, the thighs became 
 (Edematous, and the body was swollen to a considerable degree. She was troub- 
 led with cough, flatulence, and pain at the stomach : glandular tumours, some 
 of them as large as a pigeon's egg, were observed in the groin and belly. Hav- 
 ing never menstruated, her mother supposed the unpleasant symptoms she la- 
 boured under might be occasioned by the absence of this necessary evacuation. 
 Mr. Taylor, an irregular practitioner, was consulted, and recommended her to 
 take a decoction of herbs, composed of horehound, mountain sage, pennyroyal, 
 and southernwood, and to use friction with the hand and oil, from which she 
 diil not derive any benefit. As Miss M'Avoy gained no ground from Mr. Tay- 
 lor's prescription, her friends applied to the Rev. Mr. Craythorne, of Garsvvood, 
 in this county, a gentleman who prescribes and dispenses medicines in that 
 neighbourhood, and once a month in Liverpool, with credit to himself, and re- 
 puted utility to others. He ordered the limbs to be rubbed with a warm
 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOY. $ 
 
 hand, and gave her pectoral and chalybeate medicines, which, in about a week 
 relieved her. She soon after menstruated, and continued to be regular 
 until March 18lG. By a perseverance in the use of the medicines, and dry 
 friction, the swelling of the legs, thighs, and body, gradually disappeared, and 
 for the space of two months her health was very much improved. The con- 
 finement occasioned by an assiduous attendance upon her brother during a te- 
 dious illness, affected her health, and she became greatly debilitated. After her 
 brother's death, in August 1815, she persevered, although very complaining, in 
 going to school, until the end of September, when a glandular swelling took 
 place under the right jaw, accompanied with very great pain of the head, which 
 prevented her from reading, sewing, or even threading a needle. At last she 
 was obliged to leave school, and remained at home three weeks, growing worse 
 every day. 
 
 In November it was thought adviseable to send her into the country. As 
 her residence was only at the distance of two miles, she occasionally came to 
 town. At first her health appeared to be improved ; but afterwards she became 
 worse, and in November 1815, was much indisposed. Her complaints conti- 
 nued to increase till the latter end of April, when the Rev. Mr. Craythorne was 
 again applied to for assistance. The medicines he gave her were similar to those 
 used before, but they did not produce a similar good effect. 
 
 On the evening of the 1th June I received a message to visit Miss M'Avoy 
 early on the next morning. 
 
 June 5th, I obtained the following account of Miss M'Avoy's state of 
 health. She had taken little or no solid food lor the last three weeks; cofiee
 
 ;, NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 ami B little milk had been her principal diet ; the bowels were habitually cos- 
 tive ; the urine in small quantities, ami of a dark colour, resembling coffee 
 grounds ; the pulse small, frequent, irregular, and sometimes intermitting. It 
 varied from 81. to 1 10 pulsations in a minute during my visit. There had been 
 no appearance of menstrual discharge for three months. She was troubled with 
 a ticklin^ cough, pain in the right side, tightness in the chest, difficulty of 
 breathing, and occasional palpitation of the heart, increased materially upon any 
 exertion, or by any sudden noise or alarm. She complained of violent pain in 
 the fore and back part of the head, with a throbbing and beating sensation. 
 The vessels of the tunica conjunctiva were filled with red blood, but she suffered 
 very little uneasiness from the action of light. The abdomen was so peculiarly 
 tense and incompressible, that I could not ascertain whether the liver or any 
 other of the abdominal viscera were affected with disease. I did imagine, how- 
 ever, upon repeated percussion with the hand, that I felt the slightest fluctua- 
 tion. The feet, legs, and thighs had been for some time cedematous ; but a 
 lew days before I saw her, the swelling had suddenly disappeared. She was so 
 much affected with giddiness, as to stagger in walking across the room. With 
 the left eye she could scarcely distinguish any object, and with the right, for se- 
 veral days previous to my visit, every object at a distance appeared white, and 
 those which were near, double. The firing of the guns at the Fort, on the 4th 
 of June, in commemoration of the birth of his Majesty, was the cause to which 
 she attributed the increase of headach, of the palpitation of the heart, and of 
 the general symptoms of her disorder. The great debility she seemed to labour 
 under, the suspicion that fluid was already collected in the ventricles, or be- 
 tween the meninges of the brain, and the passive nature of the suffusion of blood 
 in the tunica conjunctiva, deterred me from the free use of the lancet. I re- 
 commended, however, the following medicines, blisters behind the cars, and
 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOY. 5 
 
 eight leeches to be ajiplied to the temples, and that they should be allowed to 
 bleed freely : — 
 
 I \ . Magnesirc; 3 j. 
 
 Pulv. Fol. Digital. gT. iij. 
 
 Rad. Ipecac, gr. viij. 
 
 M. rt divide in chartas xii. Capiat j. 4ta q. q. hor.i. 
 
 R. Pulv. Rad. Seillae, D j. 
 Ilydrarg. Submur. 5 ss. 
 
 Conserv. Rosae q. s. ut fiat Massa in Pil. ix dividenda. Capt. ij. 
 nocte maneque. 
 
 June 7th. — Being absent from town, I was not able to see Miss M'Avoy 
 yesterday. My friend Mr. Thomas, the usual medical attendant of the family, 
 informed me he had been sent for on the evening of the 5th June, in conse- 
 quence of Miss M'Avoy fainting very soon after the leeches were applied. 
 They were immediately taken off, and only a small quantity of blood was ob- 
 tained. She could not distinguish any object whatever. This morning she 
 appears totally blind. The pupils are considerably dilated, and do not contract 
 upon the application of strong light ; the pain of the head is very acute; the 
 body costive; pulse 120, feeble and irregular; the other symptoms are much 
 the same as on the 5th. Only two of the powders and four of the pills have 
 been taken. 
 
 K. Hydrarg. Submuriat gr. v. 
 I'ulv. Rad. Jalaps, gr. ai . 
 M. iit li;it Polris hora somni Bumendus. 
 I ma in lata* dextram qaaqai nocti I Bgt Hydrarg. 3 i 
 
 June 8th. — The powder produced two small motions : the pain of the righl
 
 f, NAItlt.VTIVE OF THE CASE 01 
 
 si.li' i^ very acute, and it was so sore to the touch, that she could not bear the 
 friction of the mercurial ointment. Complains of the pain in the head being 
 very revere, and of a tremulous motion in her limbs. Pulse feeble and irregu- 
 lar, \ arying from 9b' to 120. 
 
 Repr. Pulvis (atharticus hora somni sumendus. 
 
 K. Infus. Sennoe C. 5 x >>- 
 
 Maggies. Sulphatis, 5 ij- 
 
 M. -iini.it coclil. iv. 2da quaque hora donee sit alvus bene solula. 
 
 Appr. cervici Em pi. Lyttse ampl. 
 
 June 9th. — The blister rose well, and discharged freely. The bowels were 
 only slightly opened with the cathartic powder and mixture. About ten o'clock 
 in the morning she was suddenly seized with convulsions. Her mother attri- 
 buted their coming on to the tolling of St. Paul's church prayer bell. In the 
 course of the day she became paralytic on the right side. 
 
 Abradatur capillitium et Appr. Empl. Lyttaa ampliss. capiti superiori. 
 
 llepr. Pulvis C'atharticus h. s. s. 
 
 Repr. Mist. Cathartic coch. iv. eras mane et 2da. quaque hora si sit occasio ad alvum solvendain. 
 
 June 10th. — The blister was not applied, from the impossibility of shaving 
 the head during the convulsions, which continued with scarcely any intermis- 
 sion. When the convulsions did cease, the breathing was sometimes suspended 
 for so long a period, that her friends thought she had entirely ceased to breathe. 
 Mr. Thomas and I observed this suspension, which continued more than ninety 
 seconds, from the end of one expiration to the beginning of the succeeding in- 
 spiration. The bowels are costive : she complains, when able to express her 
 feelings, of numbness in the fore part of the head. 
 
 Appr. Empl. Lyttoe capiti. 
 Repr. Pulv. et Mist. Cathartic.
 
 JIISS MARGARET M'U'OY. 7 
 
 June 11th. — The blister rose well. The convulsions still continue. "When 
 she is able to speak, she complains of violent pain in the head, occasional palpi- 
 tation and oppression about the region of the heart. She has taken little or no 
 food except strong coffee, with a little milk : of this beverage she drinks daily 
 from twelve to twenty cups, without producing any unpleasant effect. The 
 
 body is still costive. Pulse 120 to 1 in. 
 
 Repr. Pulvis Cathartic, et Mistura. 
 
 Frira in latiis dextrum Dngt. Hydrargyri, 3 j. 
 
 Injice vespere, si sit occasio, Eneuia Pomesticum. 
 
 June 10th. — The bowels were slightly affected by the purgatives. The in- 
 jection was not administered. The ointment had not been used. Pulse- 120 to 
 1 10, feeble and irregular. She appears very much exhausted, and from the 
 present symptoms, there is little probability of her surviving the night. 
 
 Appr. Sinapismi pedibus. 
 
 June 13th. — At eight o'clock \. M. Mr. Hughes, the stepfather of Miss 
 M'Avoy, called upon, and agreeably surprised me, by saying Miss M'Avoy was 
 not only alive, but very much relieved, and quite sensible. A mosl unexpected 
 change had taken place. About three o'clock yesterday afternoon, Miss 
 M'Avoy was observed to gasp for breath, and complained of a sense of suffoca- 
 tion from something passing down her throat ; that it was very offensive in 
 taste and smell. She was so much debilitated as not to have the power of spit- 
 ting it out. Her friends were obliged to remain with her during the Bight, to 
 raise her up as often as the fluid was passing down. No pari of the fluid was 
 obtained dining the first four days, although a considerable quantity pa 
 down, and was occasional!) thrown up from the stomach.
 
 g NASRATITE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 On the 15th, about seven ounces were caught in a basin at two efforts to expel 
 it. A part of this fluid was sent to Doctor Bostock, a gentleman well known 
 for his ardour ami accuracy in chemical investigation, that he might examine 
 it ; and I am obliged to him for the following account. 
 
 " The fluid was three ounces and five drachms in quantity ; it was somewhat 
 opake and muddy, of a light brown colour, and had some flakes or masses 
 of a denser consistence floating in it.* These flakes very slowly subsided, and 
 the more fluid part being poured off, appeared to be homogeneous, and was of 
 the specific gravity of 1.014. The fluid was subjected to a variety of tests, by 
 which it was found to be of that kind which has been denominated albuminous, 
 in every respect resembling the fluid which is effused in ascites and in various 
 species of dropsy. It differs from the fluid that is found in the ventricles of the 
 brain in hydrocephalus, by containing a larger quantity of animal matter ; but at 
 the same time its solid contents were less than those of the serum of the blood. The 
 masses that were floating in the fluid, after being drained from it as much as possi- 
 ble, were found to consist of a half solid matter, which agreed in its properties 
 with the mucous fluid which is occasionally expelled from the lungs or fauces, and 
 it may be presumed were accidentally mixed with the fluid in its passage through 
 the nose or mouth. These remarks will, I apprehend, be sufficient to prove 
 that the fluid in question differs essentially, both from that which is produced in 
 
 * It might be mentioned, that Mr. Thomas had immersed the bottle containing the fluid in 
 water, which had recently been boiled, and a copious cream-coloured precipitate had fallen down, 
 which might be the flakes mentioned by Dr. Bostock, but which were supposed to be albuminous. 
 In the hope of obtaining more of the fluid that was fresh, Dr. Bostock did not receive it until it hud 
 been kept a considerable time.
 
 MISS MARGARET M'aYOY. q 
 
 hydrocephalus, or from what is secreted from the mucous membrane; and 
 so far as we can judge of its origin by its nature, we must conclude it to 
 have been a proper dropsical fluid, effused from a serous membrane, such as 
 that which lines the close cavities that have no communication with the at- 
 mosphere." 
 
 The convulsions in a great measure ceased from the time of the discharge 
 taking place, but the beating, complained of in the back part of the head, did 
 not entirely subside until the 17th instant, and was then succeeded by violent 
 pain and soreness over the whole body, so that she could scarcely bear the 
 slightest touch. The top of the head, which had little or no sense of feelinc 
 before, after this discharge became peculiarly sensible. In attempting to get 
 up, it was observed that, in putting the right foot upon the floor, a sudden and 
 irresistible contraction of the leg and foot, towards the ham, took place ; and 
 if the right hand were pressed upon the bed or chair, a similar effect was pro- 
 duced, and it was suddenly retracted towards the elbow and shoulder. Her 
 hearing before, and indeed from childhood, had been very deficient, but after 
 the discharge took place, it became peculiarly acute. 
 
 June 18th. — Our patient still continues convalescent. The appetite is much 
 improved, but she indulges rather too freely in taking food. The friction with 
 the Ungt. Hydrarg. was recommended to be used until the mouth became af- 
 fected. The cathartic powders were repeated at night, and the mixture in the 
 day, as occasion might require, to open the bowels. 
 
 June 20th.— The bowels are still costive: she complains of pain in the head, 
 
 B
 
 ]0 NAIUtATIVE OF THE CASK OF 
 
 and a sense of fulness at the stomach. This, however, might be accounted for 
 from having eaten a large quantity of new potatoes. 
 
 K. Ilyilr.uirvri Submuriatis, gr. vj. 
 Pulveris Had. Jalapee, Err. sxv. 
 Confect Rosa Gal. q. s. ut fiant Pilulae vi. hora somni sumendac. 
 
 June 21st. — The pills have not operated. The other symptoms are much 
 
 the same. 
 
 Itepr. Mist. Cathartic. 
 
 June "2'2d. — The mixture operated well. The pain of the head and fulness 
 of the stomach are much relieved. Her appetite is much better. 
 
 Repr. Mist. Cathartic, si sit occasio, ad alvum solvendam. 
 
 June "20th. — Complains of difficulty in making water. In other respects she 
 
 improves daily. 
 
 K. Aquae Cinnamomi, 5 vii. ss. 
 Spirt. .'Ether. Nitric. 3 iij- 
 Spirt. Lavandulae, C. 5 j. M. sumat ; coch. ij. 4ta. quaque hora, si tirgeat djsuria* 
 
 June c 28th. — She has passed urine freely, and of a good colour. The bowels 
 are more regular, and she is much better in every respect. The peculiar sensi- 
 bility of the hand and foot, upon any sudden pressure, is entirely gone off. The 
 right hand and arm had recovered their feeling in a certain degree, and Mrs. 
 Hughes gave her a stocking to knit, which occupied her attention, and took off, 
 in some degree, a sense of numbness she had before complained of. 
 
 July 1st. — I was desired to visit Miss M'Avoy this morning. She complains
 
 MISS MAHGAUET M'AVOY. 11 
 
 of faintishness ; pain and beating in the head; want of appetite; body costive; 
 pulse variable and feeble, from 108 to 120 pulsations in the minute. She feels 
 considerable pain in the left breast, and at times her mother has observed her 
 breast to heave up and down, as she expresses it, like a bellows. 
 
 K. Aqua- Mentha; pip. 5 vi. ss. 
 Tinrl. Cardam. Cnmp. 5j. 
 Spirt. Amnion. Co. 5 ss. 
 M. suniat coclil. ij. 4ta qnaque Iiora. 
 
 R. Pil. Aloes cum Myrrha, 3 ij. 
 Hydrarg. Snbmuriatis, 3 ss. 
 
 M. et divide in Pil. xl. Capiat ij. nude maneqae pro re uata ad alvitm solvendam. 
 
 July 2d. — At three o'clock this morning she was again suddenly seized with 
 convulsions. The bowels are costive. Pulse 108 to 120. 
 
 Repr. Mist, et Pil, Cathartic, u. a. 
 Appr. Euiplastriiin Lyttae eapiti suptriori. 
 
 July 3d. — She suffered pain before and after the application of the blister, 
 but at the expiration of six hours, she suddenly exclaimed the pain was removed. 
 In assisting to place her upright in the bed, it was observed that a great dis- 
 charge had taken place from the blister. The pain, however, returned in about 
 an hour, and continued, attended with convulsions and occasional delirium, for 
 the space of eighteen hours. The cathartic medicines had produced no effect. 
 Pulse 108. 
 
 Repr. Pil. Cathartic. <i Dutora. 
 
 July nh. — Continues much the same as yesterday. The pills bad not
 
 14 NAHB \Tivr. OF THE C ISE OF 
 
 been given, and the mixture only in small quantities. The bowels are still 
 
 cost he. 
 
 Rppr. Mist. Cathart et PH. 
 
 Appr. Siuapismi Pedis ronvexo. 
 
 July 5th. — The sinapisms had a good effect, but the convulsions did not 
 cease until about three o'clock in the afternoon, when she endeavoured to raise 
 herself up in bed, and a fluid rushed suddenly from the nostrils, and continued 
 running for about ten minutes, which was followed by a discharge of a few 
 drops of blood. The mercurial friction was recommended to be used every 
 night until the mouth became affected, and the bowels to be kept open by the 
 occasional use of purgatives. No part of the fluid was preserved. 
 
 July 18th. — Being absent from town, my friend and colleague, Dr. Bran- 
 dreth, visited Miss M'Avoy, in consequence of the convulsions having again 
 come on. He recommended blisters to be applied to the head, and to be re- 
 newed as soon as they were healed. Before, however, the parts, on which the 
 blisters had been applied, were healed, she was relieved by a profuse perspira- 
 tion which continued for twenty-four hours. She recovered from this attack so 
 as to be able to sit up ; but the right side being paralytic, she was obliged to be 
 carried down stairs. She complained of pain in both sides, but always found 
 relief from the mercurial friction, which she made use of whenever it returned. 
 
 August '2d. — Upon my return from the Isle of Man, I was induced to call 
 upon Miss M'Avoy with Mr. Thomas, who told me she had become very ex- 
 pert in sewing. I found her in the act of sewing, which she appeared to exe- 
 cute with considerable neatness. She put into my hands a stole, which she had
 
 MISS MAHGAEET m'.UOY. l.J 
 
 assisted in finishing for the Rev. Edward Glover, her confessor, to whom she 
 was under very considerable obligations for his kindness and attention during 
 her illness. She had also made several neckerchiefs, and a frock for her little 
 sister, and darned a pair of black silk gloves with great neatness. It appeared 
 from the account of her mother, Mrs. Hughes, that before Miss M'Avoy was 
 able to leave her bed after the first attack, she complained of weariness and 
 anxiety, particularly in the night, which, from not sleeping well, appeared long 
 and dull. Miss M'Avoy requested her mother to give her a needle, that she 
 might try to thread it. The first time she made four attempts before she suc- 
 ceeded in threading it, and the second time she threaded the needle after two 
 trials. She then asked for sewing, and her mother gave her a coarse towel. She 
 was very awkward at first, and this awkwardness was much increased by not 
 looking at her work, and her eyes seemed to be wandering in every direction, 
 about the room, but where they ought to be. Her mother desired her to fix her 
 eyes as if she were looking intently upon her work. Miss M'Avoy endeavoured 
 to follow this advice, and applied with so much perseverance, that she succeed- 
 ed not only in this point, but sewed much better than ever -he had done before 
 her deprivation of sight. Mr. Thomas and I particularly examined her eves, 
 exposed to the light of a candle, as near to the eye as possible without burning 
 her, but without observing the slightest contraction or dilatation of the pupil, or 
 the least sensibility in the eve. I have frequently since this period thrown my 
 hand suddenly towards her face ; have pretended to dash a pointed penknife at 
 the eye; and have often applied the point of the finger in a quiet and steady 
 manner as near as possible to the pupil, without observing the slightest sensa- 
 tion in the eye. Mr. Thomas assured me he has more than once put his linger 
 upon the cornea itself, which then appeared insensible ; but when he touched 
 the eve-lid 01 eye-lash, she was instantly sensible of it. I have sat for a C
 
 14. NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 derable time attending to her sewing, but apparently indifferent about it ; and 
 during these visits, 1 have examined her every action as minutely as possible, 
 and I have been satisfied she could not see. In threading her needle, it some- 
 times required only one effort, but often three or four, before slip wns snceessful. 
 It was curious to observe her when, by any accident, the point of the thread was 
 bent : she would try to thread the needle three or four times, and if she did 
 not succeed, wonld put it into her mouth, and bite off a part, or take her finger 
 and feel whether the thread were straight or not. More than once I have given 
 her the needle with the point upwards, when she had accidentally dropped it : 
 she attempted, but finding, after a few trials, that she could not thread it, she 
 would put her finger upon the needle, and feeling the point, woidd turn and 
 thread it : once, also, I broke the eye of a needle in drawing the thread hastily 
 out, but was. not aware of the circumstance until Miss M'Avoy had made seve- 
 ral attempts to thread it ; but failing, she felt the eye with her finger, and told 
 me it was broken, which, upon examination, I found to be the case. The cir- 
 cumstance of Miss M'Avoy's knitting and sewing did not appear to be so very 
 extraordinary, as there are many blind persons who are capable of doing the same.* 
 
 * It may be mentioned, that the blind people in the Asylum generally make use of the mouth 
 and tongue in threading their needles. In the Blind Asylum of Liverpool, blind persons are not only 
 taught to sew, knit, and spin, but become expert in the making of baskets of various descriptions, 
 plain and coloured, twine, ropes, bears, carpets, rugs, slippers of list and worsted : a few make 
 considerable progress in music, and often become teachers in their turn toothers. The most of them, 
 in a few years, are enabled to follow the different trades they have been taught, and to support them- 
 selves with credit and independence at their own houses. This institution owes its origin to the 
 Rev. Henry Dannett ; and after his secession from Liverpool, its prosperity was increased by the great 
 attention and unwearied zeal of the late l'udsey Dawson, Es<j. supported by the humane subscriptions 
 of the inhabitants, and by strangers, who mule it a principal object of their attention in their visile 
 to Liverpool.
 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOY. 15 
 
 August 16th. — I was this morning desired to visit Miss M'Avoy. Mr. 
 Thomas informed me she had, for four or five days previous to this attack, com- 
 plained of loss of appetite; pain and beating in the head; pain in the right side; 
 fluttering at the heart, and trembling of the limbs ; the bowels costive ; the 
 pulse feeble and irregular, from 108 to 130 pulsations in the minute. Purga- 
 tives had been given to open the bowels, and blisters were applied to the fore 
 and back parts of the head. The purgatives operated slightly, and the blisters 
 had risen well, but no material alteration had taken place until the 15th August, 
 at three o'clock in the morning, when she was seized with convulsions, and in 
 this state she remains. 
 
 Repr. Pil. Catharlic. et Mist. Cathartic u. a. 
 
 Si sit occasio vcspere, Injice Enema Douicsticuin. 
 
 August 17th. — She complains of great coldness in the extremities, and 
 they are slightly cedematous. The heat by Fahrenheit's thermometer, in the 
 axilla, ancle, and mouth, is 108. The right side is paralytic : the intermissions 
 of returning sense are of very short duration, seldom longer than the space of a 
 minute. Complains, when sensible, of violent pain in the head, with oppression 
 and a sense of tightness about the region of the heart, as if it were bound down 
 with cords. The bowels are still costive ; the glyster and opening medicines 
 have not been given. Pulse 120. 
 
 Appr. Empl. I.yttae rtgioni cordis et Repr. Wist. Cathart. et Pil. u. a. 
 
 August 18th. —-Continues much the same : the pulse has varied more during 
 this attack than before ; generally from ill) to 120; but once I observed it to 
 be ()0, and Mr. Thomas felt it as low as 48. Little medicine could be given, 
 from the state of insensibility in which she had lain. She has taken naively 
 any food or drink.
 
 16 NARRATIVE OF THE CASK 01' 
 
 August 24th. — On this day the convulsions ceased upon the appearance of 
 the menses. It may be observed,, that, after each attack, her appetite became 
 extremelj keen, her general health was much improved, and her spirits good. 
 In the sight there appeared to be no improvement ; the pupil was dilated, and 
 insensible to the action of light. 
 
 In the ircneral business of the house she was more active than ever she had 
 been, assisting in making the beds, attending upon her half brothers and sisters, 
 and was cheerful and agreeable in her manners to every body about her, and 
 more particularly to those who visited at the house. 
 
 August 31 st. — I called upon Miss M'Avoy this morning, and found her 
 complaining of pain in the right side. Upon examination, I felt a considerable 
 fulness and even induration in the right hypochondrium. She complained of 
 pain in the left breast, and sometimes of pain and a sense of heat in the stomach. 
 The menses disappeared two days after their recurrence on the 24th instant. 
 Capiat Magnesioe cochleare theanutu bis aut ter de die si urgeat dolor ventriculi. 
 
 She was requested to persevere in the use of the pills and ointment for a few- 
 weeks, until the mouth became affected. Miss M'Avoy enjoyed a better state 
 of health, and I did not see her again till the middle of September. 
 
 I shall now give an account of the manner in which it is stated Miss M'Avoy 
 found herself possessed of certain powers of an extraordinary nature, and the 
 relation of which excited the curiosity as well as the criticism of many indivi- 
 duals. It was very early in September that her stepfather, Mr. Hughes, was 
 reading a few pages in a small book belonging to one of his children, in which a 
 history was given of the life of St. Thomas a Becket, not very favourable to
 
 MISS MARGARET M'.VVOY. 17 
 
 his general character. He mentioned it to his wife and daughter, and said he 
 recollected having read once a very different account in another book. Miss 
 M'Avoy told him that she had, before she was taken ill, seen an account of 
 his life in a book entitled the Lives of the Saints, and if she had the book, 
 could point out the place where it was. The book was put into her hands, and, 
 in turning over the leaves, she pointed out the place, and read a few words. In 
 a jocular manner, Mrs. Hughes asked her if she could feel the letters with her 
 fingers. She said she had felt the words she had read, and would try, if her 
 father would give her a book. A number of a folio bible, of tolerably large 
 print, was given, and she read several verses to the great astonishment of her 
 father and mother. Upon hearing this account, I was induced to visit her 
 again with Mr. Thomas, and took considerable pains in examining the eyes; 
 but we found little or no alteration in their general appearance, except that the 
 pupil was not quite so much dilated as before; but the light of a candle 
 appealed to have no influence upon it. We found her father's account very 
 accurate, and that she really could read by the application of the finger to 
 the letters with considerable fluency. As it was probable any other person, 
 who had not the same opportunity of judging with Mr. Thomas and me, might 
 think it possible she could see, I thought it right to bind something over t he 
 eves, and I made use of a Manchester cotton shawl, which went twice round 
 the head, crossed at the eyes, and was tied at the back of the head as firmly as 
 sl e could bear it. 1 placed in her hand a Dumber of the Bible above mention- 
 ed, and she read very correctly one verse of a chapter in Genesis. I then re- 
 quested to have another book, which happened to be a volume of the Annai- of 
 the Church. I opened it, and she read to me several lines, with the alteration in 
 a proper name of only one letter, which, upon being desired to read ovei .1 
 she corrected. I then turned to a few lines of errata, and she read them cor- 
 
 c
 
 13 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE 01 
 
 recti/, only reading the letter 1. as an I and a dot The mode she follows is 
 to place her fingers upon the book, and when she feels the letters, to proceed 
 from tin.' beginning to the extremity of the word, and back again until she names 
 it, and so on to the next word. She often makes use of the fingers of botli 
 hands, particularly the fore fingers, and when they are in good order, she will 
 read from twenty-live to thirty words in half a minute. 
 
 On the following day I mentioned the circumstance to a friend, who was 
 anxious to see a phenomenon of this kind, and he met me in St. Paul's 
 Square. Miss M'Avoy again read over to us a verse in the Bible, a few lines 
 in the Annals of the Church, and the title page, mottoes, and several lines 
 in a l l 2mo edition of Grahame's Sabbath. I placed her fingers upon a blank 
 leaf, and desired her to read. The attempt was made, but she said she 
 could not feel any letters. Her fingers were then placed upon another leaf, 
 which she declared was also blank. I then desired her to feel the upper part of 
 the leaf. She did so, and said she felt something, but it was so confused she 
 could not make out what it was. The fact was, a lady's name had been written 
 in the book, and when I took it from my library, I scratched the name out with 
 a pen, so that it was not distinguishable to the eye. My friend brought with 
 him a French assignat, of which it is more than probable Miss M'Avoy before 
 did not even know the name. She read it over, and mentioned the lines upon 
 it as distinct from the plain paper, and the colour of them, which was black : 
 she also deciphered the address and post-mark of a letter received by that 
 morning's post : she named the colours of the coats, waistcoats, and pantaloons 
 of the gentlemen present with accuracy. She gave a correct account of a few 
 cards, one or two of which were put under a small table placed before her. My 
 friend Mr. Egcrton Smith, who accompanied me, visited her afterwards several
 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOY. If) 
 
 times by himself, and he mentioned that she had named the blue, black, and red 
 colours of marked lines, which he had given to her in a light in which he could 
 not distinguish any colour, and also that she read a few lines of printing, nearly 
 of the size of that called pearl type, in a similar light, occasioned only by a very 
 little fire, which had been left in the grate, and with her back to the fire, Mrs. 
 Hughes and Mr. Smith being so situated as to interrupt as much of the light 
 as possible. Mr. Smith was perfectly satisfied that no other person could have 
 distinguished the ruled lines, nor have read one word of even moderately sized 
 print, if it had been brought nearly in contact with the grate. A little boy, the 
 half brother of Miss M'Avoy, brought in several pieces of broken glass of dif- 
 ferent colours. She told very readily the different colours as they were given to 
 her, and, in a few pieces, where the glass had not been perfectly fused, she nam- 
 ed the colour of that part which was perfect, and of that which was imperfect. 
 
 Mr. Egerton Smith mentioned the following circumstances to me soon after 
 they happened, and he has stated them in so clear and concise a manner, that I 
 shall take the liberty of quoting his words, from the Liverpool Mercury of the 
 •Mh of September. 
 
 " Mr. Nichol, a scientific gentleman, who was delivering a course of philoso- 
 phical lectures in Liverpool, having heard of this extraordinary property, applied 
 to me to obtain an introduction to Miss M'Avoy, and I accompanied him to her 
 house, along with Mr. James Smith, printer, of this town." " One part of the per- 
 formance was so truly astonishing, that I should almost hesitate to relate' il, if'those 
 two gentlemen had not been present tovouch for the truth. I had furnished my- 
 self with a set of stained landscape glasses, usually termed Claude I orrain glass* -. 
 They were seven in number, contained in a frame. She ascertained the precise
 
 20 H \nn.\TiVF. or the case of 
 
 shade of each correctly : one glass, however, appeared to embarrass lier, and after 
 considerable BCrutiny, she said it was not black, nor dark-blue, nor dark-brown, 
 but she thought it was a very very deep crimson. We did not know whether 
 her conjecture was correct or not, as we could not ourselves ascertain the shade. 
 By reflected light it appeared to us to be perfectly black ; nor was the flame of 
 the fire, which was stirred for the occasion, visible through it in the faintest de- 
 gree. We had abandoned all expectation of determining this point, when the 
 sun suddenly emerged from behind the clouds, and by that test, and that alone, 
 were we enabled to discover that she was correct, as we could just discern the 
 solar image of a very deep crimson. It has been said, and with some plausibi- 
 lity, that this must have been a bold guess on her part : if not, it will puzzle our 
 physiologists to explain, how a person reputed to be blind, with an opake ban- 
 dage also over her eyes, could declare the colour of a glass, which persons in 
 full enjoyment of their eye sight, and without any such obstacles, could not 
 discern by any other light than that of the meridian sun !" 
 
 " At this meeting we were informed that Miss M'Avoy had recently found 
 out that this extraordinary faculty was not confined to her fingers, and that she 
 could also distinguish the colour of an object which was brought into contact 
 with the back of her hands. This was immediately made the subject of experi- 
 ment by Mr. Nichol, who successively applied several objects which he had 
 with him to that part of the hand; in placing which, he used so much precau- 
 tion, that I could not see them myself, although my eyes were fixed upon his 
 hands. She was completely successful also upon this occasion." 
 
 She distinguished the different colours of silk, of cotton, or of wool, and the 
 brighter and more vivid the colour, so much greater is the pleasurable sensation
 
 MISS MARGARET m'aVOV. 21 
 
 it aft'ords. If they consist of many colours in the same piece, she will point out 
 each colour, and trace the line where it terminates. If the silks are of that kind 
 called shot silks, she will tell the colour of the ground as well as the intermixture. 
 If the different pieces are besmeared with oil, or any greasy substance, she can- 
 not so easily distinguish the colour ; but if it is nearly faded, she will point out 
 where it is faded or where it is bright. She can distinguish the colours of the 
 paintings of enamelled or varnished boxes, will trace the outline of the figures, 
 and will very generally state the subject of the painting with a degree of accu- 
 racy which is surprising. At times, however, this feeling is suddenly lost, and 
 after describing colours, reading, &c. with great nicety, she will declare she 
 cannot tell the colour, or will say it is black. When this is the case, the fingers 
 become extremely cold, and the power will often return as the fingers become 
 warmer. 
 
 The persons who have visited her once, are generally known to her again by 
 their manner of walking or breathing, or by the voice. She tells the difference 
 in the size of one person from another who enters the room, if asked to do so. If 
 a colour be placed upon the back of the hand, or upon the cheek, she will name 
 it correctly. She has at different times told colours with her fingers, read witli 
 her hands behind her and under the bed clothes, or under a sheet of paper, but 
 seldom for any length of time. She soon finds out if there be any obstruction 
 between her mouth and nostrils and the object. It would almost appear that 
 the breathing, and probably the sense of smelling, were necessary to the more 
 complete elucidation of the colour, &c. 
 
 The mode adopted for binding her eyes, I have already mentioned, W&S the 
 Manchester shawl, and it was generally agreed to be sufficient for the purpose;
 
 2£ NARRATIVE or Tm: cash of 
 
 but it was not thought so by a few individuals, and other means were adopted 
 to satisfy them. A pair ofgogglers were obtained, and covered with dark-blue 
 
 paper. Many trials were made with these, sometimes with, and often without 
 a silk handkerchief tied over the gogglers, and over the head. At this period 
 the gogglers seemed to he the most in use for covering the eyes, and various 
 additions were made to them, according to the various wishes of the individuals 
 who visited her, until they were made into a complete mask, covering the whole 
 of the face except the nostrils and mouth. They were tied by several pieces 
 of tape at the back of the head, in almost every direction, and two pieces of 
 tape crossed each other under the nose, just below where a line of cotton wool 
 was sewed in, so as to prevent any ray of light from passing upwards. During 
 the continuance of a severe inflammation of the eyes, which had been produced 
 probably by the heat occasioned by the gogglers. which were kept on for a con- 
 siderable time, Mr. Thomas and I made use of the pledgets, dipped in a weak 
 solution of acetate of lead, over which a neckcloth was tied, which answered 
 every purpose we could wish. Occasionally we only pressed the eyelids gently 
 down with the fingers, and held them in that situation until she had gone through 
 the trial intended. 
 
 The rumour of Miss M'Avoy's talent in distinguishing colours, soon occa- 
 sioned a great influx of visitors, who went away generally satisfied she really 
 possessed the power. A considerable number of medical men had already 
 visited her, and it became a subject of conversation at Dr. Brandreth's, where a 
 large party dined on the 2Gth of October. It was agreed that a certain number 
 should meet me in St. Paul's Square, on the Monday following, at eleven o'clock, 
 and I sent a message to Mr. Hughes, stating my intention. I found that, 
 at the request of Mr. Latham, surgeon and apothecary of Wavertree, Miss
 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOY. 23 
 
 M'Avoy had gone to spend a few days with his family. A few of the gentlemen 
 put off their intention to another opportunity ; but Drs. Trail and Jardine, 
 Mr. Redmaync, Mr. Kent and I, went to Wavertree, and we were very soon 
 followed by Drs. Formby and Vose. Before our arrival, several persons had 
 visited her, and she had been engaged more or less with them since breakfast 
 time. She had named and told colours, and I have understood they were 
 particularly satisfied that Miss M'Avoy possessed this extraordinary power. 
 The motion of the carriage in which she went on Sunday to Wavertree, had 
 brought on the headach ; but the change of air had so good an effect, that ahe 
 was enabled to lie down at night in bed, and had slept soundly, which had not 
 happened for several weeks before. Dr. Jardine took notes of the experiments 
 made upon this occasion, and I shall now recapitulate them from his memoranda. 
 
 " It was remarked, that at a little distance there was the appearance of very 
 imperfect vision. The pupils contracted upon exposure to candle-light, but 
 more slowly than is usual.* Pressure upon the eye produces much pain. Pulse 
 120; evident agitation ; very cold hands. 
 
 " EXPERIMENT 1. 
 
 " In the light, with gogglers on, read many lines in the Roman History, 
 sometimes right, but often wrong. A large octavo book being placed between 
 her face and the Roman history, slic was soon aware of it, and threw up her 
 hand to remove it. 
 
 • Dr. Trail informs me thai be and Dr. Vose, thought (be pupils contracted and dilated as much 
 :.>. in an] person uli<> could see distini tly, but the <>i !■< i gentlemen present wen "i > diffi real opinion.
 
 u 
 
 NAHItATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 ' 1 \l'l JtlHENT II. 
 
 " In a room darkened but very imperfectly so, owing to the opening of the 
 shutters and the light of a large fire ; gogglers on ; the following colours were 
 given into her hands : — 
 
 Pink, answered, White, then light pink. 
 
 Gret i 
 
 Yellow, 
 
 \\ liite, with red lines,. . . 
 
 Brown, 
 
 Fluid of various colours, . 
 Printed card, 
 
 Dr. Trail's varnished hox, 
 
 Blue. 
 
 White or yellow. 
 Pale pink and white. 
 Black. 
 Uncertain. 
 Made nothing of it. 
 White lines and letters. — The lines 
 rs. Trail and Jar- 
 dine. 
 
 r White lines and 1 
 < visible to Dr 
 
 She put her hand three times to the string of the gogglers. 
 
 * The glasses, painted in the 
 inside red, , 
 
 7 
 
 > an 
 
 swered, Light green. 
 
 « EXPERIMENT III. 
 
 " In the light, eyes covered with a silk handkerchief and lint, or gogglers 
 
 and lint. 
 
 Small cylinder of green glass, answered, Green. 
 
 Ditto, fluted white, „ White. 
 
 Ditto, purple, „ Purple. 
 
 Ditto, white, ,, Green. 
 
 Black velvet, „ Scarlet. 
 
 Purple velvet, „ Black. 
 
 * They were of common green window glass.
 
 MISS MARGARET m'aVOY. 
 
 25 
 
 Blue velvet, answered .Nothing. 
 
 Drab breeches, ,, 1st, Drab, then black. 
 
 White silk, ,, Purple. 
 
 Green ditto, ,, Nothing. 
 
 " EXPERIMENT IV. 
 " In the same light, eyes uncovered. 
 
 Lilac and yellow green answered, lawn colour. 
 
 Blue ditto, . . 
 Green ditto, . . 
 Black velvet, . . 
 Purple velvet, . . 
 
 White silk, 
 
 Blue Cloth, 
 
 Lilac and straw, 
 Lilac, 
 
 Blue and red stripe, 
 
 Blue. 
 
 Green. 
 
 Purple. 
 
 Purple. 
 
 White. 
 
 Blue. 
 
 Lilac and straw. 
 
 Lilac. 
 
 lac stripe, and darker lilac than 
 
 the last. 
 
 f 
 
 "EXPERIMENT V. 
 
 " In the same light, eyes covered with gogglers and lint. 
 
 Blue velvet, answered, Lilac. 
 
 Scarlet cloth, ,, 
 
 Green ditto, „ 
 
 Red sealing wax, ,, 
 
 Brown and yi How stripped") 
 
 r ' 
 
 cotton, , . J 
 
 " EXPERIMENT VI. 
 
 " Eyes uncovered. 
 
 The red painted glasses, noil 
 tonchiog the sides, . . 
 
 Brown. 
 
 Blue. 
 
 Black. 
 
 Nothing. 
 
 vered, Kud "
 
 ■2fi narkative of the case or 
 
 From these experiments, li wever unsatisfactory, wc may draw the conclu- 
 sion, thai she did not entirely fail. At the time the eyes were covered with the 
 gogglers, this mode appeared satisfactory to the gentlemen present. She read a 
 few lines in the Roman History, sometimes correctly, but more frequently she 
 was incorrect In the partially darkened room, she made nothing out, except 
 the white lines and letters upon Dr. Trail's varnished snuffbox, the white lines 
 of which, Urs. Trail and Jardine could scarcely see. In the third experiment, 
 where the eyes were covered with a handkerchief and lint, or gogglers and 
 lint, several pieces of glass were given to her, and she told three colours out of 
 four. It should be mentioned however, that she brought these glasses from 
 home, and it may be possibly supposed, she recollected the figures of the pieces 
 of glass, as she had repeatedly fingered them. If this were the case, as 
 the glasses were numerous, her memory must have been very tenacious to have 
 retained the forms, and, by the forms, to have told the colours of the glass. In 
 the fourth experiment, the eyes were uncovered, and she told seven colours out 
 often. If she had been capable of seeing, she might as well have told them all 
 correctly. We ought not, I think, in candour, to attribute this greater degree 
 of power, when the eyes were uncovered, to her seeing, but to the relief af- 
 forded, and to the remission of pain and throbbing in the head, when the pres- 
 sure from the lint, or cotton, c\c. was removed. In the fifth experiment, her 
 eyes were covered with the gogglers, stuffed again with lint, and she did not tell 
 any thing. In the sixth and last experiment, the red painted glasses were given 
 tolier, when her eyes were uncovered, and she said the colour was red. Upon 
 the whole, the trial was unfortunate, and it was afterwards currently reported 
 that Miss M' Avoy could see. This disappointment was injurious in many re- 
 spects, not only as it related to the suspicions thrown upon Miss M'Avoy's 
 veracity ; but as it caused a censure to be cast upon Mr. Thomas, me, and
 
 MISS MARGARET If'AVOY. 
 
 T, 
 
 upon many others, in allowing ourselves to be imposed upon. It was still more 
 unfortunate for the investigation of the truth, as it produced a lukewarmness 
 in many respectable individuals of our profession, which prevented them from 
 prosecuting the enquiry. 
 
 I cannot avoid blaming myself, for not having considered the possibility of 
 Miss M'Avoy being agitated by the suddenness of our visit ; but, not having 
 before experienced any thing of this kind, I was less guarded than I should 
 have been. Indeed, the pleasurable feeling Miss M'Avoy seemed to have at 
 the time she was describing colours, reading, &c. prevented me from suspect- 
 ing that we should meet with any obstacle of this nature. 
 
 Agitation, was however evident in Miss M'Avoy's appearance; and many 
 circumstances, during the examination, tended to increase it; as changing the 
 mode adopted for covering the eyes, by stuffing the gogglers with cotton or lint, 
 which, pressing upon the ball, acutely sensible from previous inflammation, 
 produced violent pain and throbbing in the head ; by the doubt expressed in her 
 hearing, of her ability to do what it had been declared she had already done, and 
 by the anxiety she felt at not being able to prove she possessed the power at the 
 very time it was most necessary, when a succession of experiments were making 
 to ascertain the fact. She had taken no food from breakfast, and had been 
 also exhausted by the former trials in the morning. Her spirit^ were conse- 
 quently depressed by a combination of circumstances of this nature, acting upon 
 a debilitated, irritable, and diseased habit. The impression, made upon the me- 
 dical gentlemen present at Wavertree, was, that she could see, and I became 
 doubtful of my former opinion ; but, the more I considered tin- re-.nl t of this ex- 
 amination, the more I was satisfied the failure originated rather from the eircuin-
 
 28 NARIUT1VE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 stances above named, than from any deception on Miss M'Avoy's part ; and I 
 did not think I was doing justice to Miss M'Avoy's character, or to my own, 
 by giving up the judgment I had formed, from repeated trials, that she posses- 
 sed this power. 
 
 Whatever cause might have produced the blindness, I shall not enter into 
 at present ; but, it is as certain, as any fact can be, that Miss M'Avoy did 
 become blind on the Gth or 7th of June, 18] G; and the symptoms related, 
 as occurring previous to my visit on the 5th, were indicative that such an event 
 might be expected. The evidence which repeated examination of the eyes, 
 during her protracted illness, afforded, was positive also, that she continued to 
 be blind until a very short time before the 2Gth of October, when Mr. James 
 Dawson first observed the contraction and dilatation of the pupil, upon exposure 
 to the light of a candle, but it seemed, however closely applied, to produce no 
 other effect upon the eyes. Mr. James Dawson visited Miss M'Avoy some 
 time before this period, but had not observed any contraction or dilatation. 
 
 The experiments before made were satisfactory to my mind that I had not 
 been deceived ; but in a case of this kind, few persons who think for themselves, 
 will be induced to imbibe the opinion of another, without the strictest investiga- 
 tion of its truth. Let it be allowed, however, for a moment, that Miss M'Avoy 
 had the most perfect vision, yet the various means adopted to cover the eyes, if 
 not satisfactory in all cases, were generally so to those who had covered their 
 
 • in a similar manner. The patience with which she suffered any new plan 
 to be tried, is a presumptive proof that she knew herself to be blind, and was 
 anxious that every other person should think so. Her character for truth and 
 integrity, is attested by her confessor, the Rev. Edward Glover, which, in a
 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOY. 2Q 
 
 moral point of view, convinces him she does not deceive. The evidence of 
 Mr. Glover, Mr. Thomas, and myself, will have some weight upon the public 
 mind, but I cannot expect it will satisfy every individual. Every facility has 
 been given to those who had the curiosity to visit Miss M'Avoy, of which nu- 
 merous parties have availed themselves ; and they are convinced, at least, if she 
 were not blind, that she possessed the power attributed to her, when blind-folded. 
 Several who imagined themselves to be more philosophically gifted, declared, 
 although the eyes were allowed to he perfectly covered, this faculty must be de- 
 ceptive. Other persons asserted her eyes must be more peculiarly acute, and 
 that she could see with the smallest possible quantity of light; a very few de- 
 clared she must see sideways, downward or even backward ; and one individual 
 amused the party he accompanied, by saying she could see through the nose, 
 which he had known to be the case in another instance ; in fine, the generality 
 became proselytes to the evidence of their senses, but a few were found who 
 doubted that evidence. Dr. Trail and Dr. Formby visited her separately after 
 the 'Wavertree examination, but neither of them was satisfied ; although when 
 the latter attended, other persons were present to whom she named several co- 
 lours of silks, cloths, wafers, &c. but she never could name a colour to him, un- 
 less it were one which he held above her head. In prosecuting the narration of 
 Miss M'Avoy's case, an account of the examination at which Dr. Trail was pre- 
 sent will be given. Mr. Kent visited her with me, and did not hesitate to alter 
 the opinion he had formed at Wavertree. Dr. Jardine also saw her again, and 
 to satisfy himself still more, he repeated his \i>its very often, and is as perfectly 
 convinced as man can he, who has paid particular attention to the subject, that 
 she possesses the power of reading with the lingers, extinguishing colours, &C. 
 On the contrary, Beveral individuals of respectability, who had seen her, and been 
 satisfied she possessed the power, ha\e altered their opinion, which nm have
 
 30 N.\nRATrvn or tiif. case of 
 
 irisen from trifling circumstances every person is eager to catch at, exciting 
 suspicion of deception* 
 
 Miss M'Avoy often appears to look earnestly, and sometimes sideways at the 
 object j and on those days when the feeling is not very acute, from pain and 
 throbbing in the bead, from extreme coldness, clammy moisture, or burning beat. 
 of the hands, from agitation, which is often increased very much by failure in two 
 or three of the first attempts, or from the heat occasioned by the gogglers, she fre- 
 quently puts her hands to the mouth or to the head, or attempts to loosen the 
 strings of the gogglers, which give her at these times a feeling of being too tight. 
 Miss M'Avoy seldom docs any thing of this kind, when these powers are more 
 perfect. Mr. Bickersteth, a respectable surgeon, and one of my colleagues at the 
 Infirmary, called upon Miss M'Avoy on the Friday evening previous to the '26th 
 October. He gave her, amongst other things, a piece of green silk, striped with 
 one or more yellow lines, and certain figures written upon it; of which Mr. 
 Bickersteth, before be gave it to her, had not taken notice. She said the lines 
 were white, and repeated the number of the figures Mr. Bickersteth had not ob- 
 served. On the Saturday following, Mr. B. mentioned the general circumstances 
 which had occurred, at the Infirmary, and Dr. Gerard, who had formerly been a 
 Physician of that Institution, was present. It was agreed to visit Miss M'Avoy 
 at one o'clock. AVe called upon Mr. Thomas, and proceeded to St. Paul's 
 square. The eyes of Miss M'Avoy were covered with the gogglers, and she 
 told almost every colour given to her, and read, &c. When, however, the piece 
 of green silk was again put into her hands, she said this is the same piece of silk 
 which was given to me last night ; it then seemed to be green and white lines, 
 but it is now green and yellow : light yellow, or straw-colour, would appear to 
 any one white by candle light, and it did appear white to Miss M'Avoy. The
 
 MISS MARGARET Bl'AVOT. 31 
 
 eyes were covered on both occasions. On the 31st of October, I have been in- 
 formed by a lady, that Miss M'Avoy visited Mr. Charles Clements in Queen- 
 street. There was little fire in the room, and it was so dark that candles were 
 brought in, but were afterwards ordered away, from the wish they had to hear 
 Miss M'Avoy read, &c. A book just published upon brewing, was put into her 
 hands, and she read a few lines correctly, but in attempting to read the word vat, 
 she only made out a v and a t. Mr. Clements was induced to take the book, 
 and he had some difficulty, from the small quantity of fire in the grate, to dis- 
 tinguish the words : he, however, found it out to be the letter a, turned upside 
 down. She told also the colours of different substances given to her, very accu- 
 rately, in a light by which no other person could distinguish them, and when the 
 parties were standing between her and the fire. 
 
 The effects of the Wavertree expedition, and the agitation she suffered, soon 
 became visible, in a return of the pain in the head and right side, which obliged 
 her to have recourse again to the mercurial friction, which relieved the pain in 
 the side. The pain in the head was again attended by the beating sensation or 
 throbbing, with loss of appetite and giddiness. 
 
 On Sunday, the 3d of November, the right side twitched frequently. On 
 the Monday and Tuesday following, this symptom increased so much that she 
 could not feed herself; and on Wednesday morning the convulsions returned. 
 The body had been uniformly costive dining several days. Her pulse varied 
 from 108 to 120 pulsations in a minute. 
 
 November"7th. — I was sent for to visit Miss M'Avoj to-day, and I found 
 
 her in strong convulsions, with frequent twitching of the limbs. The intervals 
 of sensibility were of vciy shorl duration.
 
 S'2 WRRATIVE OF TIIF. CASE OF 
 
 Abradatar CapiBitiam et Appr. Empl. Lyttte amplis. capiti superior!. 
 
 K. Rydrargyri Snbmnr. ur. r. 
 Pulv. Rad. Jalapae i^r xv. 
 Conf. Rosae gal. q. s. ut fiant Pil. vj. h. s. s. 
 
 November 8th. — The blister had not been applied, from the difficulty of 
 shavino- the head ; nor had the ointment heen used from the time of this attack. 
 The cathartic pills produced no effect. She complained of a sense of weight in 
 the breast, and oppression about the heart. The convulsions and twitchings 
 are not abated. 
 
 Appr. Empl. I.yttx regioni cordis. 
 Capiat Magnesiac 3 ss bis aut ter de die. 
 
 November 9th. — The bowels were slightly acted upon by the magnesia. — 
 The convulsions arc much the same. — The blister rose well, and relieved the 
 pain in the region of the heart. 
 
 Appr. Empl. I.yttx cervici. 
 Rppr. Pil et Mist. Cathartic. 
 
 November 10th. — In a few hours, after the blister had been applied, it rose 
 well, and discharged freely. — The right side is again paralytic. — The other 
 symptoms are not lessened in violence. — The pills and mixture had produced 
 no evacuation. 
 
 Repr. Mist. Cathartic. 
 
 November 11th.— The convulsions still continue. The mixture operated 
 more freely ; she had scarcely taken any food during this attack.
 
 MISS MARGARET M'.VVOY. 33 
 
 R. Ammonia Carbon, gr. x. 
 Gum. Assafoetid. gr. xii. 
 Confect. aromat. q. s. ut fiarit Pil. vi. capiat ij. ter de die. 
 
 November 12th. — The convulsions are less violent, and she lies in a more 
 quiescent state than before, scarcely appearing to breathe, but with occasional 
 delirium ; sometimes a pleasing smile is observed, and again a frown, with a slight 
 contraction of the muscles of the fnce. The pills had only been taken once, as 
 they produced uneasiness, and a sensation of heat in the stomach. 
 
 Abradato Capillitio, Appr. Empl. I.yttae capiti. 
 Rcpr. Mist. Cathartic, u. a. 
 Appr. Sinapismi Pedibus. 
 
 November 13th. — The blister and sinapisms acted well. The convulsions 
 and beating of the head have entirely ceased, and she is now quite sensible. 
 She feels great soreness all over the body. The left eye is a good deal inflamed, 
 and she complains of the tears scalding her. In the former attacks, the secre- 
 tion of tears was scarcely perceptible. The relief afforded her was preceded 
 by a sudden discharge of fluid from the nose, which continued for about ten mi- 
 nutes, and was followed by a few drops of blood. 
 
 K.Plumbi Acelat. gr. xv. 
 
 Aqu;«- Rose 5 V 'U- 
 M. ut ft. Collyriuiu. 
 
 November 14.— Continues much the same ; has had no motion since the 
 
 Hth. 
 
 Repr. Pilul. Cathartic, el Mist.
 
 3|. NAIUtATIYi; OK THE CASE OF 
 
 November lG. — The bowels were freely opened.— She still complains of 
 headach.— The pulse during the attack was very variable from 96 to 140, and 
 even lGO pulsations in a minute. This sometimes took place during the visit. 
 
 November 17th.— Continues much as yesterday. She appeared languid, 
 and did not recover quite so well from this attack. 
 
 I rica I inimenti Hydrargyri Campli. 3 i. in latus dextrum quaque uocte. 
 Repr. Collyrium et Mist. Cathartic, pro re nata. 
 
 December 1st. — The gums were very spongy with the mercury ; and there 
 is considerable foctor in the breath, but no ptyalism. She complains of pain and 
 beating of the head, and palpitation of the heart. The eye is still sore, but the 
 eye water relieves it. The bowels are costive. 
 
 Repr. Collyrium et Mist. Cathartic. 
 
 December Id. — The symptoms of yesterday are much increased in violence: 
 the bowels continue costive. 
 
 Repr. Pil. Cathartic, et Mist. 
 Appr. Empl. Lyttse capiti abradato. 
 
 December 3d. — The pills and mixture operated freely. In other respects 
 she continues much the same. The blisters had not been applied. 
 
 December 4th. — A seton was recommended to be made in the nape of the 
 neck, but the patient would not consent to it. 
 
 December 5th.— At three o'clock. A. M. she was seized with convulsions
 
 MISS MABGAHET M*A1»0Y. 65 
 
 attended with frequent twitchings aiul drawing up of the legs. If these were 
 pressed against, the resistance was very considerable. She appeared quite 
 stiff, as if dead, upon being raised by Mr. Thomas and her mother. The toes 
 are contracted to the inside of the foot. She is much affected with stupor, and 
 the right side is paralytic. 
 
 December 6th. — The blister rose pretty well, and the bowels were opened 
 with the mixture. 
 
 December 7th. — The convulsions are much the same. 
 
 December 8th. - -At three o'clock p. if. yesterday, she was seized with a 
 sense of suffocation, and a fluid passed down into the stomach with a sort of 
 gurgling noise. Mr. Thomas saw Miss M'Avoy immediately after it began, 
 and felt the breath extremely foetid and offensive. With some difficulty, he 
 obtained about a meat spoonful of fluid, which was very tenacious, and, in con- 
 sistence and colour, resembled the white of an egg. I wished, if possible, to get 
 more of it, and requested they would preserve the small portion already ob- 
 tained; but through the negligence of the servant who assisted in the house, it 
 was lost, and we were not able, through Miss M'Avoy's excessive weakness, to 
 procure another supply. 
 
 At half past one, r. m. when I visited her, the pulse was 108, and tolerably 
 firm. The convulsions are much better, but the twitehings occasionally return, 
 and she generally appears to lie in a state of insensibility, and sutlers under a 
 stoppage of respiration every now and then, apparently from the fluid passing 
 downwards, and closing the epiglottis, which prevents respiration for* few se- 
 conds. As soon as the fluid has passed, respiration takes place, and continues
 
 36 NARRATIVE 01- TIIK CASE OF 
 
 until again interrupted in a similar way. In the night, a sensation of faintness 
 conies on, and she describes her feeling as if she was sinking through the bed. 
 
 December 10th. — Continues much the same as yesterday. The bowels have 
 not been opened. 
 
 Repr. Pilulae et Mistura Cathartic. 
 
 December 11th. — The pills and mixture have not operated. The gurgling 
 noise, as the fluid passed down into the stomach, is, in a great measure, gone oil", 
 and the discharge of fluid appears to be lessening every day, but, there is ob- 
 servable, a very considerable degree of spasmodic contraction in the muscles of 
 deglutition, and in the os hyoides. 
 
 l\. Spt. Vin. Camphor, 5 •• ss. 
 .lllitr. Sulphuric. 
 
 Tinct. Opii, aa. 5 ss- M. frica partes affectas bis de die. 
 Repr. Pil. Cathartic, et Mistura. 
 Injice Enema foetidum statim. 
 
 December 12th. — The glyster had not been given. The pills and mixture 
 did not operate. 
 
 Cont. Pil. et Mist. Cathartic. 
 
 December 13th. — She continued much the same until the 1.5th instant ; but 
 the contraction of the muscles of the throat, &c. gradually decreased. 
 
 December lGth. — At three o'clock, r. m. she became sensible. — The 
 bowels were freely opened. She has more power in the right side. The 
 twitchings are relieved ; but the sensation excited in the foot and band, by
 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOY. 37 
 
 sudden pressure upon the floor, bed, &c. still remains. At different times, 
 after the examination at Wavertree, Miss M'Avoy continued to distinguish co- 
 lours, when put into her hand, to sew, read, &c. ; but not with so much cer- 
 tainty as she did at first. She was easily agitated, and, if any one disputed the 
 power she possessed, it always produced irritation, and made her less able to 
 give proofs of it. 
 
 December 20th. — Miss M'Avoy is much belter, and distinguished any 
 colour given to her with great certainty. 
 
 December 21th. — Complains of pain in the right side and shoulder. In 
 the right hypochondrium, there is considerable fullness. She distinguished 
 colours to day ; but very soon lost the power altogether. 
 
 Repr. I'rictio, iu Latus dextrum, Lin. Hydrarg. Campli. u. a. 
 Itepr. Pil. et Mist. Cathartic, eras mane, si sit occasio, ad alviim sulrendam. 
 
 December 27th. — The medicines operated freely, and she feels herself 
 better. 
 
 December 30th. — Continues to improve. 
 
 January 17th, I8I7.— With the amendment of Miss M'Avo\ s health, the 
 faculty of distinguishing colours, &C. returned. On this day, she not only de- 
 clared the colour of different cloths, cotton, and silk, but several pieces of silk 
 which were inclosed in a small phial bottle ; she traced with her finger the edge 
 of each ; and, when another phial was given, which did not contain anything, 
 she declared it to be empty. Bottles of white glass, holding magnesia, red pre-
 
 38 NAllKATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 cij>itate, red ox yd of mercury, and bark, were separately given to her, and she 
 
 accurately named the colour, and told how high the bottle was filled with each 
 substance: two small bottles, the one containing water, and the other spirits 
 of wine, were placed in her hand ; she said, the first was colourless, like water, 
 and the second was similar in colour, but had a different feel, being much 
 warmer. I was not certain which was the water, and which the spirits of 
 wine, as there was not a perceptible difference in colour, until I tasted the con- 
 tents of the two phials, when the second was proved to be the spirits of wine. 
 Soon after this period, the Rev. Edward Glover asked her, if she could tell the 
 time of the day, by feeling the surface of the glass, covering the dial plate of a 
 watch. Her answer was, she had never tried it. A watch was given into her 
 hands : she felt the surface of the glass, and very soon named the hour. She 
 was afterwards so exact, that she not only named the hour, but the number of 
 minutes the minute hand had passed the hour. Once I gave her my watch, 
 when the hour was twelve o'clock. She mentioned the hour, but observed, 
 there was only one hand ; the minute hand being exactly over the hour hand. 
 Mr. Glover assured me, that for several days he was afraid of speaking of the 
 circumstance, lest he should be laughed at ; but, she so often repeated this ex- 
 periment in his presence, and in that of other persons, that he made no hesita- 
 tion in mentioning it. She told the colour of the different hands, whether they 
 were of gold or of steel. She distinguished a gold from a silver watch. Brass 
 and copper were also submitted to her touch, and she immediately discovered 
 the one from the other. The colours of various seals and stones, whether 
 mixed or not, were correctly named ; as well as those of gems ; but it was 
 only the colour, and not the nature of the stone, unless she had before been 
 acquainted with it. The eyes were covered with the gogglers.
 
 MISS MARGARET M*AVO\. o'J 
 
 January 19th. — The mercurial friction had heen continued until the present 
 time, but it was now omitted, as the mouth became very sore, and the gums 
 spongy, but with little or no ptyalism. An astringent gargle was ordered, and 
 she was requested to take the cathartic mixture occasionally to open the 
 bowels. 
 
 February 12th. — The soreness in the mouth and gums, is, in a great measure, 
 removed. Complains of great oppression about the heart ; difficult breathing, 
 with an almost constant heaving to and fro of the whole breast ; of pain in the 
 head and side ; and inability to lie down. Body costive ; pulse small, frequent 
 and irregular, from 108 to 120. 
 
 Rtpr. I'il. et Mist. Cathartic u. a. 
 Repr. Frictio Ungt llydrarg. 
 
 February ISth.' — The bowels have been freely opened. Continues much 
 the same as yesterday. 
 
 Appr. Fmpl. Ficis Rurdig. Sternn. 
 
 February 17th. — Complains still of uneasiness about the region of the heart. 
 The other symptoms are not materially alleviated. 
 
 Appr. Empl. F.yttx rr°rioni cordis. 
 Repr. Mist. Cathartic, u. a. 
 
 February 20th.— The blister considerably relieved the oppression about the 
 heart. She appeared very much exhausted bv attempting to distinguish co- 
 lours, &c. to oblige the numerous visitors who assailed her from all quarters, and 
 we were under the necessity of requesting Mrs. Hughes to refuse them admis-
 
 40 NAKKATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 sion, until she recovered from these unpleasant symptoms. The menses hail 
 not appeared since the month of November. Pulse 120. 
 I\. 6am. Assafetid. 
 
 Pulv. G. Myrrha?, aa. 3 j- 
 
 Ferri Sul[>liat. Prsec. 3 >• ss - 
 
 Syrupi simplicis q. s. ut fiat massa in Pil. xl. dividends. Capiat iij. ter de die. 
 
 February 24th. — Our patient is no better. The heaving at the breast is 
 occasionally suspended, and she appears, during this interval, not to breathe at 
 all ; but she has never been insensible or convulsed. The bowels are costive. 
 
 Rfpr. Mist. Cathartic. 
 R. Mist. Camphor. 5 v 'j- 3 >j- 
 iEtiier. Sulph. 
 
 Spirt. Amnion. Comp. aa. 3 »j- 
 M. capiat cochl. ij. 4ta quaque hora. 
 
 February 26th. — The compound camphorated mixture was only once taken, 
 and as it caused great uneasiness in the stomach, it was omitted. The symp- 
 toms are much increased in violence. The pulse is excessively feeble : has little 
 or no cough : complains of pain, oppression, and palpitation about the heart ; 
 but there is no palpitation to be felt externally. She appears very much exhaust- 
 ed. The breathing is very laborious ; but yet there does not seem to be any 
 inflammatory action. As a forlorn hope, however, I requested Mr. Thomas to 
 open a vein in the arm, and he obtained three ounces of blood, when she 
 fainted. 
 
 Rcpr. Pil. Cathartic, vj. 
 
 February 27th. — Appears rather better : the agitation of the breast is not so
 
 MISS MARGARET M'.VVOY. 41 
 
 violent. Pulse 120, and feeble. The bowels have been opened. The blood 
 had a slightly buffy coat. Complains of pain in the breast. 
 
 Appr. Em pi. T.yttae sterno. 
 
 K. Pulv. Ipecac, gr. vi. 
 
 Antitnon. gr. x\iv. 
 
 Sacch. Alb. 5 ij. 
 
 M. et divide in chartas xii. Capt. j. 4ta, q. q. hora. 
 
 February 28th. — Has taken only one powder, as it produced heart-burn. 
 A tea spoonful of magnesia was given to her, and she was advised to repeat it 
 twice a-day, as occasion might require. 
 
 March 2d. — The magnesia gave her uneasiness in the stomach, instead of 
 relief. The other symptoms became worse again, particularly the agitation of 
 the breast, and difficulty in breathing. I recommended it to Mr. Thomas to 
 open a vein, which was immediately done, and about three or four ounces of 
 blood were obtained before she became faint. This blood was also slightly 
 buffy. Complained yesterday of difficulty in passing urine, but was relieved by 
 a mixture Mr. Thomas ordered with spirit of nitric aether and oxymel of squills. 
 Pulse 108 to 120. The bowels are open. 
 
 March 5th. — She found considerable relief from the last bleeding ; but as 
 the laborious breathing had not entirely ceased, Mr. Thomas was requested to 
 take more blood from the arm, and about four ounces were obtained with some 
 difficulty. This blood had no bully coat. She appeared very low ami weak. 
 
 March 9th. — Complains of Ik at and thirst : in other respectfl she is better. 
 
 V
 
 V> NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 lv Aqua? Fnntansp, J viij. 
 Kali ./Lrat. $ ij. 'J ij. 
 M. Capiat cochl. ij. cu. j. sue. Limon. 4ta, q. q. hora. 
 
 March 11th. — The former symptoms are again aggravated. 
 Fiat Venae Seetio et detrahantur, sanguinis, S vi. 
 
 March 1.5th. — Mr. Thomas was not ahle to get more than a few drops of 
 blood, although he opened the veins in both arms. Continues much the same 
 as yesterday. 
 
 Repr. Vense Seetio. 
 
 March 1 6th. — Mr. Thomas obtained about four ounces of blood, which had 
 no bufly appearance. 
 
 March 18th. — The last bleeding relieved her very much. She falls occa- 
 sionally into an apparent state of syncope ; but she generally hears what is said 
 in the room. Pulse 84 to 108. 
 
 R. Infus. Calumb. 5 ▼iij. 
 Kali /F.rat. 5 ij. 3 ij. 
 M. sumat. eochl. ij. niaj. eu. j. sue. I. mum. 4ta, q. q. hora. 
 Fiat fonticulus Causticus, more solito, infra pectus sinistrum. 
 
 About ten days after the caustic was applied, Miss M'Avoy first made use of 
 the magnifying glass : the account she gives of the circumstance is, that she 
 wished to take the saline mixture, and, as her mother was not in the house, she 
 attempted to read the direction with her fingers, but, the writing being very
 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOY. 43 
 
 small, she could not make it out. Knowing that there was a magnifying glass 
 on the chimney piece, it struck her, that she might be able to read it through 
 this glass, and she applied her fingers to the glass, and then read the direction 
 upon the label*. 
 
 March 22d. — The power of distinguishing colours, &c. became very defi- 
 cient after this period. Her hands and fingers were generally cold. In other 
 respects, she appeared tolerably well, and, about the end of the month, made 
 a shirt for her little brother. 
 
 April 12th. — Her health has improved daily ; the power, which had suffered 
 considerable dimunition, if not temporary extinction, returned; and occa- 
 sioned such an influx of visitors, as again seriously to affect her health. I ad- 
 vised her mother to send her into the country, for a few weeks, which she 
 promised to do, as soon as lodgings could be obtained. 
 
 On the 19th of April, Dr. Jardine requested that he might visit Miss 
 M'Avoy, before she went into the country ; and an appointment was made at 
 eight o'clock in the evening. I called upon Dr. .Jardine, and found at his 
 house, Messrs. Bickersteth, Senior and Junior. We proceeded to St. Paul's 
 Square. Mr. Thomas was also present. The mode of covering the eyes this 
 evening, was one I had tried, for the first time, a few days before, and consisted 
 of a piece of gold beater's skin, sufficiently large to cover the eye, extended, 
 and sewed upon two pieces of velvet, which adhered to each other over the nose. 
 The edge of the velvet coidd be turned up, so that, when the gold beater's 
 
 • I think >ln "ii' 1 -aid, there wen ether ladies prawn) ■•' th< inn--. Why did she nataakona 
 
 ol thcui to rtad it fur her .-
 
 44 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 skin was wetted ami applied to the eyes, and then allowed to dry, it appeared 
 closely adhering to the skin. This mode of covering was plcasanter to Miss 
 M'Avoy than any other I had before used ; and it was a cooler application than 
 either the gogglers, or the Manchester shawl. She named the colour of every 
 piece of silk that was given to her, except one, and that she told afterwards., 
 A piece of green silk was inclosed between two pieces of glass, and the edges 
 of the glass were sealed with sealing wax : upon feeling the outside of the glass, 
 she said the colour was green : a piece of red silk was inclosed in a similar 
 manner, which she named correctly. She told the hour and minutes in two 
 watches, which differed in time from each other. When placed in a situation 
 of complete darkness, three cards were given to her : the two first were clubs, 
 and the last hearts ; they were all black. A green and black plaid was given 
 into her hands also, when the room was quite dark ; but it was black to her 
 feeling. Upon Dr. Jardine opening the door, a feeble light was thrown upon 
 a part of the plaid, and she then declared it to be green and black. 
 
 During some of the former examinations, Dr. Jardine made use of an egg, 
 to cover the eyes, prepared by boiling, until it became quite hard: it was then 
 divided longitudinally, and the yolk taken out. Dough was also tried, and, if 
 made of a proper consistence, and kneaded well, answered every purpose. A 
 ribband applied over the eyes, so as to leave the upper and lower parts of the egg 
 and dough visible, made the experiment more satisfactory. 
 
 It was about this period that Miss M'Avoy endeavoured to amuse herself 
 in making small baskets of coloured paper : it was curious to observe her passing 
 the paper through the interstices of the basket work. She was often foiled by 
 the point of the paper being turned inward or outward. If she found she did 
 not succeed after two or three attempts, she used her fingers to straighten it,
 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOT. 4^5 
 
 and then pushed it through. She sometimes used a pin, or needle, to raise the 
 paper under which the point should pass.* 
 
 April '20th. — Miss M'Avoy went over the water to Seacome ; but, finding 
 her complaints increasing, she was induced to return on the 1 tli of May. 
 
 May 6th. — She complains to-day of giddiness, pain in the breast, and right 
 side. The head is easily affected by the least noise. Pulse 1'20, and firmer 
 than usual. Body costive. 
 
 Fiat V. S. et Detr. Sang, e brachio, 5 iv.ad J u. 
 Repr. Pil. Cathartic, vi. 
 Repr. Mist. Cathartic, 
 
 May 9th. — Mr. Thomas opened a vein on the 6th instant, but obtained little 
 blood. Complains of great oppression in breathing, and there is a violent and 
 almost constant action of the Diaphragm. Tongue natural. Pulse moderately 
 firm, from 98 to 108. Body costive. 
 
 Repr. siatirn Venae Sectio. 
 The blood taken away was only three ounces, and it had not any bully appear- 
 ance. 
 Id |.r. I'll. Cathartic, vi. h. s. s. et Mist. Cathartic eras mane, si sit occasio ad alvuin tolvendam. 
 
 May 10th. — The bleeding did not relieve the symptom?. Complains still of 
 great oppression about the heart. Body costive. Pulse 120. 
 
 It. |.r. I'M. .t Mist. Cathartic. 
 Appr. Hirndinei \ i, Pedibua 1 1 Bmpl. I \ tta inter Scapulas. 
 
 • A basket, made by Miss M'Avoy, is now in tbe p".-si ^um of the Countess of Derby.
 
 46 NAHHATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 Mav 11th. — The bowels were opened freely. The blister was not applied, 
 as she had been seized with convulsions during the time her feet were immersed 
 in the warm water, after the leeches had fallen off. They bled for about an 
 hour only. The convulsions continued nearly a quarter of an hour. She was 
 carried to bed, and had two successive attacks, of nearly the same duration. 
 She had not been able to lie down for several nights, and obtained little or no 
 sleep. The heaving of the breast, and the convulsive motion of the diaphragm 
 
 are more violent. 
 
 Appr. Empl. Lyttse inter Scapulas. 
 I\. lnfus. Humuli 5 vii. ss. 
 
 Spir. jEther. Sulpb. Comp. 5 ss. 
 M. - u ii i.i i cochl. ij. uiaj. 4ta, q. q. hora. 
 
 May 12th. — The above mixture produced great uneasiness and heat in the 
 stomach, and she did not repeat it. This has been the case with almost every 
 medicine she has taken, except the purgatives and saline mixture, so that they 
 have been uniformly laid aside after the administration of the first dose. It has 
 been often the case also with the magnesia, and with the carbonate of potash, 
 when given without the acid. The convulsive motion of the diaphragm conti- 
 nues, but she is not worse than yesterday. The blister rose well. 
 
 R. JSfber. Sulphur. 
 
 Spirt. Vin. Camphor. 
 
 Tinct. Opii, ua. 3 ri. 
 
 M. et frica cordis scrobiculum bis aut ter de die. 
 
 Repr. Mist. Cathartic. 
 
 May 13th. — The bowels have been opened. The convulsive motion conti- 
 nues much the same. Pulse from QG to 10S.
 
 MISS MARGAKET M'aVOY. 47 
 
 May 14th. — Complains of more pain in the breast and tightness aiwnt the 
 heart. 
 
 Rtpr. I'il. Cathartic, b. S. s. 
 
 Appr. Enipl. Anodyn. Camphor. St» rno. 
 
 Appr. regiom cordis F.mpl. I.ytta?. 
 
 May 1 6th. —The warm plaister produced no sensible effect, and the blister 
 was not applied. She is much the same, but occasionally the convulsive motion 
 of the diaphragm ceases suddenly, and is followed by suspension of breathing, 
 and total insensibility, which continues for the space of several seconds. As she 
 recovers, the convulsive motion of the diaphragm returns, and is thus alternated 
 during the day and night, at intervals of about half an hour. Pulse from 180 
 to ISO. Body costive. 
 
 Repr. Mist. Cathartic. 
 Appr. Enipl. Lyttae region! cordis. 
 
 May 17th. — The blister rose pretty well ; but she still complains of tightness 
 about the heart. The convulsive motions are little altered. The feet have 
 been ocdematous for several days. She has scarcely made any water. Body 
 costive. 
 
 Repr. Mist. Cathartic. 
 li. Mnoil. G. Araciae. 
 Aipi.p Fontaine au, 5 j- 
 MoacbJ J j- 
 M. ut ft. Hanitni ('apt. J hora sonmi tt allm. post Imr.is iliiiis. 
 
 May 18th. — The bowels arc opened, and she has passed urine more free!\. 
 She took half the draught, which occasioned much uneasiness iii the Btomachj 
 and she was very soon afterwards afflicted with loss of sensation. I'pon the
 
 48 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 whole, she is much worse to day. The convulsive motions are more frequent, 
 and the suspensions of breathing, longer than before. She was ordered to 
 drink a little geneva and water, as she appeared very much exhausted, and had 
 taken little food, except coffee and milk, and these only in a very small quan- 
 tity. 
 
 R. Gum. Assafcetidoe, 3 ij. 
 Mucil. G. Acacise, , : vi. 
 Aquae Fontanae, 5 v. ss. 
 Spt. /Ether Nitric, 5 ss - 
 M. Capiat cochl ij. ampl. 4ta q. q. hora. 
 
 May 19th. — The foetid mixture was only taken once, and made her very 
 restless and uneasy during the night, producing a great sensation of heat in the 
 stomach. The geneva and water agreed with her very well, and she appears to 
 day considerably better. Pulse 96, more firm and less variable. The convulsive 
 motion and temporary loss of sensation continue. Body costive. 
 
 liepr. Pil. Cathartic, vi. h. s. a. 
 
 May 20th. — She is not quite so well as yesterday. The bowels were freely 
 opened by four of the pills. Pulse, 96 to 108. 
 
 May 21st. — Continues rather better. Pulse 96. She is out of order to day, 
 which is the third time in the last six weeks. Since November, she had not 
 been unwell before the period mentioned. 
 
 May 2 1th. — Complains of pain and beating in the head. The convulsive 
 motion of the diaphragm is diminished. She is able to distinguish colours, and 
 read with, or without the magnifying glass.
 
 MISS MARGARET m'aVOY. 49 
 
 May 31st. — Complains of pain in the fore part of the head, acro-s the eyes, 
 and of beating in the head. The convulsive motion is better. Body costive. 
 Pulse 108. 
 
 Rcpr. Pil. Hydrarg. Suhraur. cu. Jalap, vi. h. s. s. et Mist. Cathartic, eras mane pro re nata. 
 
 June 2d. — The convulsive motion is more violent. The bowels have been 
 freely opened. Pulse 81. Could not distinguish colours, &c. 
 
 June Gth. — Appears to be much weaker. The suspension of breathing, with 
 loss of sensation, comes on more frequently ; she has scarcely been free from it 
 for five minutes at a time. Body open. Pulse 84, and feeble. 
 
 Appr. Siuapismi pedibus. 
 
 June 7th. — The sinapisms were not applied. The convulsive motion, and 
 the sonorous breathing, are much weaker. The loss of sensation takes place 
 almost every minute. She scarcely takes any food. Pulse 9G. She was de- 
 sired to take a little wine, or Geneva and water. The bowels are open. 
 
 June 8th. — The Geneva and water made her sick. In other respects she 
 continues much as yesterday. 
 
 I*. Ardent. Nitrat. 
 
 Belladonuee, ia. ?r. iij. 
 Pitta R. Kin i. ui. w. 
 Confect. uamet. q. s. ut liant Pil, riii. Capiat j. Ila qinqui- liora. 
 
 June 9th. — The pills, by some mistake, were divided into eighteen instead 
 of eight. She took one of these pills yesterday) which produced violent pain 
 
 o
 
 50 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 and heat in the stomach. Ahout four hours after, Mr. Thomas visited her. — 
 The pulse beat 5S strokes only in a minute. The pills were omitted. The 
 loss of sensation comes on every half minute. I observed, that if, during the 
 interval of returning sense, the mind could be interested, by keeping her atten- 
 tion awake, by conversation, or by answering questions, the duration of the 
 period of sensation is lengthened. I advised her mother to give her something 
 to do, and to endeavour to occupy her mind as much as possible. The breath- 
 ing seems totally suspended when she falls backward, and the convulsive mo- 
 tion of the diaphragm ceases. The pulse docs not cease to beat ; a feather held 
 before her mouth was not disturbed by the breath, nor was any impression left 
 upon a looking-glass. Pulse 84 to 06. Dr. Brandreth and Mr. Shaw wore 
 present. 
 
 June loth. — She continues much the same. When she recovers from the 
 suspension of breathing, she sighs deeply, and says she suffers a sharp pain, as 
 if she were struck through the heart with a pointed instrument. Cold water 
 was sprinkled over her face and neck, and cloths wetted with water were ap- 
 plied to the face, without producing any sensible effect. Pulse 9G. 
 
 June 12th. — Miss M'Avoy appears better. The intervals before the loss of 
 sensation comes on, are longer than before : this is attributed to her having at- 
 tempted to sew again, which engages, in a certain degree, her attention. 
 Pulse 81. 
 
 June 14th. — Continues to improve. The intervals are now nearly half an 
 hour in duration. She employs herself in hemming patch-work for a bed quilt. 
 Body costive. Pulse from 10S to 112. Her powers are, in a certain degree,
 
 MISS MARGARET m'avoY. 51 
 
 returned. She can distinguish colours, road, and tell the time of the day upon 
 
 a watch. 
 
 Repr. Mist. Cathartic, u. a. 
 
 June 17th. — The bowels have been opened, but not freely. Pulse 72, irre- 
 gular, and slightly intermitting. She told a few colony and the time of the 
 day. The convulsive motion has ceased, and the loss of sensation occurs only 
 in the night. She constantly employs herself with her needle during the day. 
 
 Repr. Hist. Cathartic 
 
 June 19th. — Continues much better ; reads and tells colours more perfectly 
 than for some time past. Dr. Brandreth and Mr. Shaw were present : she read 
 the maker's name in Dr. Brandreth's hat, " Capon, hat-maker, London," with 
 her hands behind her. The eyes were covered with the black velvet and gold- 
 beater's skin, with a silk handkerchief tied over the whole. She read several 
 lines, which Dr. Brandreth wrote, with tolerable precision ; and when she mis- 
 took a letter, it was more like what she named, than what Dr. Brandreth in- 
 tended, as it was written in great haste. She told some letters upon a snuffbox, 
 which could not be read easily without a glass; and, with a magnifying glass, 
 she read all the words but the termination of the last. She traced, with her 
 fingers, the landscape, which consisted, amongst other objects, of two cocks 
 fighting : she said they were like two peacocks : the tails of the cocks were 
 very full, and we did not think her remark much out of the way. The lines 
 at the bottom, were "Better stuff never trod a midden." She told the time of 
 the day, and several colours. Upon taking off the handkerchief) one of the 
 pieces of gold-beater's skin was loosened from the eye, but they appeared still 
 to be sufficiently covered by the handkerchief.
 
 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 June ;21st. — Continues to gain ground every day. 
 
 June 24th. — She told colours and the time of the day. The eyes were co- 
 vered, for the first time, with sticking plaister, and black silk in the center of 
 the plaister, so as to allow the edges to adhere to the cheek and nose, and to 
 cover the globe of the eye. 
 
 June 28th. — Was still more accurate in the description of colours, in read- 
 ing with the fingers, and with the magnifying glass. Traced and told several 
 colours of silk, inclosed in a glass bottle. The eyes were covered, as on the 
 24th, with a silk handkerchief over the whole, which went round the head, was 
 crossed at the eyes, and was pinned to each side of the head, over the ears. — 
 This mode appeared very well adapted to the purpose, because the handkerchief 
 being drawn tight, pressed upon the sticking plaister, so as to keep it close to 
 the eye ; and, when it was taken off, the sticking plaister appeared to adhere 
 very closely to every part where it was applied. Upon taking off the sticking 
 plaister, the eyes were so firmly closed, that a few seconds passed over beibre 
 she was able to open them. 
 
 June 30th. — I was particularly anxious that all the gentlemen who had seen 
 her at Wavertree, and any medical men, or others, interested in an inquiry of 
 this nature, should visit her. The pain and uneasiness she suffered at the Waver- 
 tree examination, had left an impression on her mind not to be easily eradi- 
 cated : she appeared agitated when the name of any one of the gentlemen was 
 suddenly announced to her. 
 
 Drs. Brandreth and Trail, and Mr. Bickersteth, accompanied me to-day.
 
 MISS MAEGABET M'AVOT. :>3 
 
 There had been much thunder and lightning in the morning. Her poise was 
 108 when we first entered the house, but in a short time it rose to more than 
 120. The hands and fingers were very cold. The eyes were covered with 
 sticking plaister, as before. Dr. Trail did not wish any handkerchief to be 
 made use of. Stripes of sticking plaister were also placed in different directions, 
 but as the muscles of the face, &c. moved, little crevices wen- opened in dif- 
 ferent parts of the sticking plaister, which Mr. Bickersteth employed himself 
 in closing, with the end of a pencil case. She failed in the firsl instance, and 
 was soon very much agitated. Drops of perspiration rested upon her upper lip, 
 yet she still endeavoured to feel and name the colours, until at hit -he became 
 quite exhausted. She, however, did name a few colours, ami told the time of 
 the day ; but Dr. Trail was not satisfied that the eyes were sufficiently covered, 
 although, when the sticking plaister was taken off, it appeared to me that it had 
 adhered sufficiently to answer every purpose of blindfolding her: the marks 
 which were impressed upon the cheek, were very evident, and the eyelids I 
 closed when the sticking plaister was taken oil' As usual, whenataloss, she 
 ppi her hands to her mouth and head, which excited still farther suspicion in 
 Dr. 'frail that she had Mime improper motive in doing so. I might observe, 
 that I had mentioned my intention of accompanying Dr. Trail to Miss 
 M'Avoy the day before ; and I have no doubl the agitation originated from 
 Miss M' A voy having heard that Dr. Trail had declared she could positively 
 The pain and throbbing in the head became much worse after this trial; the 
 loss of sensation came on about seven o'clock, p. a : she was obliged to lie car- 
 ried to bed. 
 
 July 1st. — Mr. Cyrus Morral, a respectable merchant, Mr. Pentiand, of tin's 
 
 town, .Mr. Stewart, and Mr. Kirwan, Prom America, who had heard <
 
 Vi 
 
 NARKATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 M'Avov's extraordinary powers, requested me to introduce them. We pro- 
 i eded to St. Paul's Square, and I covered the eyes with sticking plaister and 
 black silk, in so complete a manner to all appearance, that it was agreed by the 
 gentlemen present, it could not be more secure. A silk handkerchief was 
 then tied over the whole, crossed at the eyes, and pinned above the ears. Se- 
 veral pieces of silk were given to her, all of which she named correctly. I had 
 provided twelve square pieces of glass : between each piece I inclosed a small 
 portion of silk. They were sealed together with sealing wax, and were given 
 in the following order : — 
 
 1. Light Blue, answered, 
 
 2. Straw colour, ,, 
 
 I4gh1 blue. 
 
 Light yellow, or straw colour. 
 ■ Nothing. The glasses of a greenish 
 
 colour. 
 Scarlet. 
 
 Ruby, or dark poppy. 
 
 V. hiteish. 
 
 3. Two pieces of glass, - 
 
 without silk, .... 
 
 4. Scarlet, 
 
 5. Dark ruby, poppy, or- 
 
 mulberry, 
 
 C. Tiiik, with white .-pots" 
 on one side, and white, 
 with pink spots, on the I 
 other, J 
 
 She told the colour of two seals belonging to the watch of one of the gentlemen, 
 .Mr. Kirwan of Charleston ; also the colour of the metal of his watch, and of 
 the ribband attached to it, which was red, with a black border. She told the 
 time of the day exactly to half a minute, in two different watches. I gave her a 
 piece of paper, cut out from the covering of Ormerod's History of Cheshire, 
 and she read with her fingers " Ormerod's History of Cheshire, Part III. Sub- 
 scriber's copy, No. 200, collated and perfect. 
 
 "Dr. Renwick, 
 
 " Liverpool."
 
 BUSS MARGARET IU'aVOY. ,-5.> 
 
 My address was written, and the letters which were printed were tolerably 
 large. A copy of one of the laws of the Athenaeum, printed in a very small 
 type, was given to her. She could not read it with her fingers, although I have 
 before seen her read fully as small print. The magnifying glass was put into her 
 hands, and she read two or three lines very correctly. Soon after this experi- 
 ment, she suddenly lost the power. I requested the gentlemen to attend to the 
 taking off the silk handkerchief from the eyes. When it was taken off, the 
 sticking plaister was seen adhering closely to the skin, in every part, except in 
 the inner canthus of the left eye, where a small pin head might possibly be in- 
 troduced, but where it was not likely any ray of light could pass, as the hand- 
 kerchief was tied directly over it, and the light must have fallen downwards, to 
 have reached the eye, through the middle of the handkerchief. After the 
 sticking plaister was removed, the eye-lids appeared quite closed upon the eyes, 
 and it was some time before she could open them. A few colours were given 
 to her a little time after the bandage was taken ofi| but the power was gone, 
 and she did not tell any of them. 
 
 July 2d. — On the 80th of June, it was proposed that another trial should be 
 made in the presence of Dr. Brandretfa and Dr. Trail. The hour appointed 
 was half past one o'clock. Dr. Brandrcth was prevented from attending, and 
 Dr. Trail did not arrive during my stay in St. Paul's Square. Dr. Trail has 
 since informed me he was exact to his time. There must have been some mis- 
 take in this statement, as I did not leave St. Paul's Square until half past two 
 o'clock. Being anxious for their arrival, I walked in the square to meet them, 
 and, when it was some time past the hour, I met Mr. M'Corquodale, win ex- 
 pressed a wish to sec Miss M'Avoy. lie followed me into the hotwe, and I was 
 very sorry that Dr. Trail had not been present, as I think, from the experi-
 
 5f) NARRATIVE OF TITF. CASE OF 
 
 ments nude on this day, he would have been induced to alter his opinion. — ■ 
 The method employed to blindfold her, was Burgundy pitch, spread upon calico. 
 Two pieces, large enough to cover the eye-balls, and to lie flat upon the check 
 bones, were prepared, and a piece of black silk placed in the centre, leaving a 
 border sufficiently large to adhere to the skin. The plaisters were warmed at 
 the kitchen fire, and applied there to the eyes by Mr. Thomas, and they adhered 
 apparently as close as possible. The silk handkerchief was firmly bound over 
 them. She went through the former routine of experiments. She read two ad- 
 dress cards ; told the different colours of the cards, the one of which was white, 
 and the other of a stone colour ; mentioned the time of the day ; the metal of 
 Mr. M'Corquodale's watch, and she read, through a magnifying glass, several 
 lines in a hand bill. Several silks were put into a phial bottle, each of which 
 she named correctly. Four locks of hair were separately placed in her hands, 
 and she declared them accurately to be three shades of brown, and one of gray 
 hair. From the two former trials, the skin about the eyes was inflamed by the 
 application of the sticking plaister ; and from this, the skin was excoriated ; a 
 sufficient proof that it had adhered very closely. 
 
 July Oth. — The eyes are very tender, from a slight inflammation which has 
 occurred ; but the skin, where the sticking plaister adhered, is nearly healed. 
 She is still troubled with the suspension of breathing, and loss of sensation in the 
 night, which comes on, it is said, almost every quarter of an hour. She gets no 
 sleep that she is aware of. 
 
 July 8th. — She is rather better, but very easily agitated, and at first was not 
 able to distinguish any colour ; afterwards she told me the time of the day by 
 my watch. I placed a light rose-coloured leaf between the glass and the dial
 
 MISS MARGAR1.T M'.WOT. 57 
 
 plate of my watch, and I did the same with a blue flower in Mr. Thomas's 
 watch. The eyelids were closed by Mr. Thomas's fingers : she declared cor- 
 rectly the colour of the leaf in my watch to be a very light pink, with one part 
 of it yellow, and another part white, and that in Mr. Thomas's watch to be blue. 
 
 July 11th. — She is still very much agitated upon the slightest occasion. Her 
 father, this morning, came upon her suddenly, when his shoes had not been put 
 on, and pressed her gently round the waist, intending to ask her how she did ; 
 but before he could do so, she fell backward, insensible, and almost threw him 
 down. There was much thunder and lightning. She could scarcely distinguish 
 a single colour. Pulse 122. 
 
 *& i 
 
 July 13th. — I found her very unwell. The pain of the head returned with 
 considerable violence. She could not tell the time of the day, and I did not 
 press her to tell the name of any colour. The eyes were not covered. 
 
 July 14-th. — In consequence of the pain in the right side, and tension of the 
 abdomen, she, of her own accord, had recourse to the mercurial friction, about 
 a fortnight ago, which had affected her mouth. She has not found so much 
 benefit from it as she has generally done before. The belly still remains very 
 tense and very costive. She has no power of distinguishing colours. Her 
 hands and fingers are excessively cold. 
 
 Repr. Mist Cathartic. 
 Omitt. IVictio Hydrarg. 
 
 July 17th. — Continues much the .same. The bowels are COStive. Pulse 
 140. The suspension of breathing seizes hereverj evening about eight o'clock, 
 
 11
 
 58 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 and continues during the night almost every half hour ; but it does not come 
 on in the clay unless suddenly alarmed, and occasionally when the issue, which 
 discharges freely, has been dressed. She is very seldom troubled with thirst. 
 She told me a blue silk to-day, with her eyes covered with a piece of cotton 
 wool, and a handkerchief tied over it. The wool was both above and below the 
 handkerchief. A few minutes before she had tried a piece, consisting of seve- 
 ral colours, and she told a lilac, a yellow, and a yellowish green, which were 
 upon the surface satin, but she did not name the body part of the silk, which 
 was drab. 
 
 Repr. Pit. Caloni. cu. Jalap, u. a. 
 Repr. Mist. Cathartic, u. a. 
 
 July 20th. — The bowels are still costive : complains of a piercing pain 
 through the heart, which occasionally seizes her, and she is then unable to sup- 
 port herself. On going along the lobby, she often strikes her head against the 
 wall, if nobody is near to assist her. Complains of headach and giddiness. Yes- 
 terday she told a few colours, and read a few words to the Rev. Mr. Rutter, 
 a Roman Catholic clergyman, but she put her hands in warm water. Her hands, 
 are now almost constantly cold. 
 
 Repr. Pil. et Mist. Cathartic, u. a. 
 
 July 22nd.— Complains very much of uneasiness about the heart, and acute 
 pain in the head. Body very costive. Pulse 120. 
 
 R. Pil. Hydrarg. 5 j. 
 
 Hydrarg. subtnur. O ss. 
 Pulv. Rad. Jalapoe, 
 — Aloes, coiop. aa. J ij. 
 
 Syrup. Simpli. q. s. ut fiat Massa. in Pil. xl. dividends. Capt. ij. vel. 
 iij. node niaiiuiut pro re nuta ad alvum solvcudam.
 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOY. .59 
 
 R. Infos. Sennae, C. 5 x. ss. 
 Tinct. Ejusdem, 5 i- ss. 
 
 Jalapse, 5 j 
 
 Blagues. Sulplial. 5 ij- M. sumat coch. iv. 2da, q. q. hora, donee sit 
 »Ivus bene soluta. Tnjice, si sit occasio, vespere, enema domesticum. 
 
 July 23d. — Mr. Thomas informs me her pulse, last night, at ten o'clock, 
 ■was only 58 ; but the pulsations were continued during the suspension of breath- 
 ing. He thought the suspension of breathing came on almost as frequently as 
 it did upon the latter end of the last attack. The piercing pain through the 
 heart still continues. If standing, when this comes on, she falls immediately 
 unless there is somebody near to support her. The bowels have been opened, 
 but there is still very considerable fulness in the right hypochondrium, and over 
 the whole of the abdomen. 
 
 Repr. Pil. et Mist. Cathartic. 
 
 July 21th. — She is rather better to-day, although the suspension of breathing 
 is very frequent in the night ; and she is more troubled with the convulsive mo- 
 tion of the diaphragm. In the day it does not come on but in a trifling degree : 
 the lancinating pain is very acute, and frequent in its attacks. Her spirits are 
 not quite so good as they have been for a few days past. 
 
 July 25th. — Is better in her general health. Body open. Pulse 108. She 
 told a scarlet coloured cloth upon the hack of her hand, uncovered, but she could 
 not tell any other colour given to her. 
 
 July 26th. — The suspension of breathing continues much the same in the
 
 60 X.\ It NATIVE OF THE CASK OP 
 
 evening. She obtains little or no sleep. Pulse ( JG to 10S ; rather feeble and 
 irregular. The tongue is moist and clean, and it has scarcely ever been other- 
 wise than natural in its appearance. Body open. Could not tell any colour 
 when uncovered. 
 
 July 27th. — There is little alteration in her health. Pulse 108. Body open ; 
 but every tiling she takes is immediately returned by vomiting. 
 
 Rfcpr. Mist. Alkalin. 5 v 1 i j . Capt. coch. ij. cu. j. Sue. Limou 4ta, q. q. liora. 
 
 July 28th; — Complains still of the sickness. Rejects her food immediately 
 after eating. Had not taken the mixture. Ptdsc 10S. Body costive. 
 
 Rt-pr. Pil. Cathartic, h. s. et Mist, eras mane ad alviim solvendam. 
 Has no power of distinguishing colours. 
 
 August 1st. — Miss M'Avoy is much better. The suspension of breathing 
 comes on in the night about every half hour. Pulse 90. The sickness is re- 
 lieved. I found the Rev. Messrs. Thomas, Edward, and Vincent Glover at 
 M iss M'Avov's. Miss M'Avoy's powers which had been very deficient for some 
 time past, were again elicited in the presence of these gentlemen, and, having 
 more leisure, than I had, at the time, they prosecuted their inquiries with great 
 perseverance from the 30th of July, to the evening of August 2d. They have 
 favoured me with the result of their experiments, which I shall repeat in their 
 own words. The following account is transcribed from the notes of the Rev. 
 Thomas Glover. 
 
 " Liverpool, July 30th, 1817, Eight o'clock, p. m.— Waited on Miss 
 M'Avoy j found her very unwell, expecting her fits to come on every minute 5 
 

 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOY. Gl 
 
 was unable to distinguish any colours ; declared tliat I was taller than nay bro- 
 ther ; perceived this when we passed her in the lobby ; told me, w hen I passed, 
 whether I had my hat on or not. 
 
 " July 31st, Eleven a. m. — Found Miss M'Avoy in good spirits ; had passed 
 the night in almost one continued fit.* Having completely blindfolded her, 
 made the following experiments : — 
 
 " Experiment I. — Presented six different coloured wafers, pasted between 
 two plates of common window glass. She first laid her fingers on the red wafer, 
 and named it. Does it not appear like a piece of red cloth ? She answered, no, 
 J think it is a water. The six wafers she named as follows : — dark ruby, red, 
 black, green, stone colour, or light drab, pea green. She pointed out un- 
 asked, the cracks, openings, and deficiencies of the wafers. She said the glass 
 was white. 
 
 " Experiment II. — She traced the outline of a very irregulai figure, loin, id 
 by squeezing the portions of two wafers, one black, the other red, between two 
 plates of glass. 
 
 " Experiment III. — The seven prismatic colours being painted en a card, in 
 water colours, she gave them the following names: — Bcajlet, buff] ulNw, 
 green, light blue, dark blue, or purple lilac. 
 
 " Experiment IV. — The red and orange rays of the Bolar spectrum lung 
 • 'I In imUip oi these alladu baa l explained above.
 
 G2 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 thrown by a prism upon her hand, she said it appeared as gold. All the colours 
 being thrown on the back of her hand, she distinctly described the different co- 
 lours on the different parts of* her hand. She marked the moments when the 
 colours became faint, and again vivid, by the occasional passage of a cloud, 
 without being desired to do so. The prismatic colours have afforded her the 
 greatest pleasure which she has experienced since her blindness. Never saw a 
 prism in her life. She felt the spectrum warm. The violet rays were the least 
 pleasant. 
 
 '• Experiment V. — She perceived the coloured rings formed by pressing to- 
 gether two polished plates of glass. Feels them at the edge of her fingers fly- 
 ing before them. Feels the reflected rays much better than the transmitted : 
 could just perceive the latter. 
 
 " Experiment VI. — The prism being put into her hand, she declared it was 
 white glass ; but on turning it, she immediately said, ' No, it is not, it is coloured, 
 it has colours in it ;' and she traced what she called stripes of colours, ribands, 
 one coloured stripe above another. Could discover no colours on that side of 
 the prism on which the direct rays of the light fell. 
 
 " Experiment VII. — Several attempts were made to discover colours in the 
 dark, by presenting different coloured objects to her hands, concealed under a 
 pillow. She always failed ; every thing appeared black. On one occasion she 
 said a green card was yellow* 
 
 " Experiment VIII. — She read a line or two in small print by feeling the let- 
 ters. Read through a convex lens at the distance of 9 inches ; the focal length
 
 MISS MARGAIIET m'avOY. 03 
 
 of the lens was 14 inches. Reads much easier through this lens than without; 
 the letters appear larger, and as if they were printed on the glass. When a hand 
 was interposed between the lens and the book, she immediately perceived it : a 
 penknife was laid on the line which she was reading, and she named it. 
 
 " Experiment IX. — A concave lens was put into her hand ; she tried to read at 
 the distance of 7 or 8 inches; said all the letters are confused: she moved the 
 lens gradually towards the paper, and observed that the letters were very small : 
 could not read easily until the lens was laid on the paper. 
 
 " Experiment X. — When she touched a plain glass mirror, could not perceive 
 any reflected image but that of her own fingers. I feel, she says, the picture of 
 my own fingers. 
 
 " Experiment XI. — Distinguished by the feel, the difference between polished 
 glass and cairngorum chrystal ; between silver, steel, gold, and brass : gold and 
 silver have the finest feel. The silver of a watch-case felt finer than the gold of 
 the seal. She distinguished between ivory, tortoise shell, and horn ; which last 
 she called bone, but seemed to have meant horn. A pin which was supposed to 
 be a chrystal, she pronounced to be glass ; afterwards, on trial, it proved to be 
 glass. 
 
 " August 1st, 11 o'clock a. m. — Miss M'Avoy much the same as yesterday. 
 
 '* Experiment XII. — Head common print easily by touching a piece of window 
 glass held 12 inches from the book : at a greater distance she could not read, 
 but could read much easier when the glass was brought nearer to the book. In
 
 64 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 like manner, and at the same distance, she discovered a sixpence, half-guinea, 
 three-shilling-piece, be. she mentioned which had the head, which the reverse 
 upwards, read the dates, pointed out, on the sixpence, the position of the harp, 
 lions, crown, &c. She ohserved, unasked, that one half-guinea was crooked ; 
 said it did not lie flat on the paper ; that the crown was downward ; that it was 
 not a brass counter : docs not think it is the shadow of the half-guinea which 
 makes her know it to be crooked. 
 
 " Experiment XIII. — Declared by feeling on the plain glass, at the distance 
 of three or four inches, that two substances below were a red and a white rose 
 leaf. Being asked if it was not red and white paper or cloth ; replied no, it is a 
 rose leaf. 
 
 "Experiment XIV. —Again, she distinguished by the feel, the difference 
 between stone and glass ear-rings, seals, brooches, &c. and pointed out one glass 
 seal, which was supposed to be a crystal ; being tried by a file, it proved to be 
 glass. She named the colours of all the different articles. She says, stone feels 
 more solid than glass, more firm. 
 
 " Experiment XV. — Could not discover colours by the tongue ; but closing, 
 between her lips, the red, yellow, blue, and white petals of flowers, she told each 
 accurately. 
 
 " Experiment XVI. — She told the prismatic colours "as accurately as on the 
 preceding day, whether cast on the back, or on the palm of the hand ; said she 
 perceived something black on her hand ; observed when it moved, and when it was
 
 MISS MARGARET M'aVOY. 65 
 
 stationary. Being bid to move her ringers, she exclaimed, oh ! it is the shadow 
 of my own fingers — winch was the fact. 
 
 " Experiment XVII. — Uncovering her eyes, we cast the most brilliant pris- 
 matic colours upon her eyes, which she received firmly, without either winking, 
 or shewing any signs that she was aware of it. The most rapid vibrations of the 
 same light did not produce the smallest effect; her eyes remained equally firm 
 and motionless. When the prismatic spectrum was thrown upon her mouth and 
 cheeks, she perceived that there were colours on her face, but could not de- 
 scribe them so easdy, or so accurately, as when they were thrown upon her 
 hands. 
 
 " Experiment XVIII. — She distinctly felt, through a plain glass, at the dis- 
 tance of four inches, the prismatic colours thrown upon a white paper. 
 
 " Experiment XIX. — With her hands upon the window, perceived two 
 newly cut stones, of a yellow colour, lying one on the other against a wall on 
 the other side of the street ; distance about twelve yards : also, a heap of 
 cast iron railing, piled upon each other. One of the conipam being dispatched 
 to place himself on the ground, stones, rails, &c. she mentioned whenev er he 
 moved his position ; perceived him jump off the railing ; mentioned the colours of 
 his dress correctly, only said that a plum-coloured coat was black ; mentioned 
 two children accidentally passing by at the time. She said, they appear very 
 small indeed; the person who was sent, appeared about two feel high, when at 
 the distance of twelve yards ; as he came nearer, she observed, that she felt him 
 grow bigger. — All objects appear as if painted on the glass 
 
 i
 
 66 NAIUIATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 " August 2d, Eleven o'clock, a. it. — Found Miss M'Avoy much agitated 5 
 was unable to distinguish colours ; her agitation increased at the arrival of many 
 visisors ; her pulse rose from 96 to 120 ; attempted several times to distinguish 
 different coloured clothes, but all in vain ; at length became unable to stand. 
 
 " Five o'clock, p. M. — Found Miss M'Avoy quite recovered ; had been in two 
 or three fits after we left her this morning. Pulse 96. Her touch in the finest 
 order. 
 
 " Experiment XX. — A stone ornament, in the shape of an orange, she took 
 for a real orange, at the distance of two or three inches, feeling through the 
 plain glass ; at the distance of fifteen inches it appeared like a nut, the bright- 
 ness of the colour not diminished ; at thirty inches, it appeared no larger than a 
 pea — colour still vivid — still imagines it to be an orange. When she touched it, 
 she immediately found out her mistake. 
 
 " Experiment XXL— An orange and an apple, (stone ornaments) being 
 placed at different distances, she told which was the nearest— distance, five or 
 six inches ; felt them both upon the glass, but the orange appeared smaller, and 
 therefore she thought it farther off*. 
 
 'B' 
 
 " Experiment XXII. — Accurately described the features, &c. of two persons, 
 whom she had never seen before— distance of the plain glass from the face, three 
 or four inches. 
 
 * Experiment XXIII. — Perceived her own face in a plain glass— distance, 
 three or four inches; at a greater distance her face appeared very small; saw
 
 MISS MARGARET M'aVOY. (j-J 
 
 her face also reflected from a plain mirror, holding the plain glass at three or 
 four inches distance from the mirror. When the mirror was withdrawn, said 
 her face diminished. All ohjects constantly appear as a picture on the gla g 
 she touches. 
 
 " Experiment XXIV.— Perceived the sun through a plain glass ; also the re- 
 flected image of the sun from a plain mirror— was not dazzled with it— found it 
 very pleasant. 
 
 " Experiment 25.— Several small articles were held over her head ; she per- 
 ceived them all in her plain glass ; she asked doubtingly, if a three shilling piece 
 was not a guinea ; but raising her glass, and bringing it nearer to the object, she 
 corrected her error. 
 
 " Experiment XXVI. — With her fingers on the window, described a work- 
 man in the street — distance, ten yards ; a cart, loaded with barrels of American 
 flour ; another, with two loaves of sugar ; a third empty ; a girl with a small 
 child in her arms, &c. all accurately true, except that there were three loaves of 
 sugar in the second cart. 
 
 " Experiment XXVII. — Could not distinguish by the touch the diflercnce 
 between pure water, and a solution of common salt in water. 
 
 "Experiment XXVIII. — Accurately described by the touch several small 
 engravings." 
 
 August 2d. — A gentleman accompanied me to-da) , Mr. Leigh and the three
 
 63 NARIUTTVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 Messrs. Glover were present, and I expected Mr. Roscoe, but he was prevented 
 by an engagement. — The Gentleman had seen her before, to whom she had named 
 four or five colours, wlienher hands were under a shawl, and each colour was 
 presented carefully by himself. Mr. Glover informs me she also read with her 
 hand under the shawl, when this gentleman was present, the word "prospectus." 
 Miss M'Avoy, with the gogglers on, named a few coloured silks, but with 
 no great certainty. Her hands were very cold. Pulse 108, when we first 
 went in ; and, in a very little time, they were increased to 140. — In the after- 
 noon, Mr. Glover informed me she was very correct in her performance, as ap- 
 pears from the experiments above related. 
 
 August 4th. — Continues much the same. With her hand placed behind her 
 upon the window, opposite to the communion end of the church, she told the 
 figures of different people passing, and sometimes named the colour of the 
 clothes, or of any thing that might be on the head, or in the hand, or upon the 
 shoulder, or back of the person. She told also the positions of four different 
 workmen in the Church Yard, one by one, as they sat down ; and then of the 
 four ; she stated one to be reading a paper or book ; the second, to have his 
 hands folded across his breast ; the third, with his hands in his breeches 
 pockets }• and the fourth, in some position which I do not recollect. I almost 
 invariably kept my eyes upon Miss M'Avoy's face during this experiment, 
 whilst Mr. Thomas reported to me their situation. 
 
 August 6th. — She continues much the same : told a few colours with the 
 gogglers on, but very soon lost the power. Mr. Booth, Mr. Reid, and Dr. Jar- 
 dine were present at the time. 
 
 * The bauds werr under an aprou.
 
 MISS MARGARET .m'aVOV. 6'.) 
 
 August 8th. — The sickness is rather better : the abdomen is extremely tense 
 and hard, as well as sore to the touch. 
 
 Coni. Ued. 
 
 August 10th.— She had walked out with Mr. Hughes. 
 
 August 11th. — She does not appear very much thinner, nor to be particularly 
 fatigued by the want of sleep. Yesterday she slept about an hour after her 
 return from walking, but felt herself worse instead of being better. 
 
 August 14th. — She is upon the whole better, but the suspension of breathing 
 still continues. A large piece of pasteboard was made use of to-day. It was 
 cut so as to admit the nose, and to press upon the cheek, and formed a sort of 
 grenadier's cap, rising above the head. Cotton wool was sewed upon the edges, 
 where it touched the nose and cheek, both inside and out. Tapes were attach- 
 ed to it in two or three different places, which were tied round the back of the 
 head, and a small piece of tape closed it .still more over the nose. Applied to 
 my face, and to that of several other gentlemen, we could not .see ; but if it were 
 put upon the nose of any gentleman which was more prominent, it did not fit 
 well, and a person thus constructed, might see and describe colours. The same 
 remark might be made upon the gogglers ; but when the cross string over the 
 nose is tied firmly, it is scarcely possible for any one to sec so as to distinguish 
 any object. At any rate. Miss M'Avoy'8 eves are completely covered with it, 
 as, by looking from above down to the nose, I could see no object. The cotton 
 wool, silk, and cloth were given to her, but she did not distinguish any of 
 them. Thursday was very hot and gloomy. The bands and fingers were warm, 
 but there was a clammy moisture upon them, which appears to take awaj the 
 feeling as much as when they are cold.
 
 7<l NARRATIVE OF THE CASE 01 
 
 August l£th. — Tlie suspension of breathing comes on very often in the 
 night, but she appears tolerably well in the day. Yesterday, after my visit, she 
 told colours, read, &c. very well. This morning, also, she was very correct in 
 all the experiments which were made. A carriage was at the door, with ser- 
 vants in livery. With her face turned sideways from the window, and my hand 
 between the window and the face, she named the colour of the field in the coat 
 of arms upon the pannel of the carriage, at the distance of six feet, and the live- 
 ries of the servants, which were brown, with blue cuffs. She described correctly 
 every colour in a shawl, the ground of which was black, with several bright 
 colours upon the border, and she traced exactly how far the one colour extended, 
 and where another began, as well as the different shades of each colour. 
 
 August lGth. — Several ladies accompanied me to visit Miss M'Avoy, and 
 she did every thing almost without a single failure. One lady stood in the street, 
 without apprising Miss M'Avoy that she was going thither. The eyes were 
 covered with the gogglers. She was desired to feel upon the glass, and to de- 
 scribe the object passing. She answered accurately, that the lady's gown was 
 white ; that she had a blue spencer on, and a green umbrella in her hands. She 
 distinguished the colour of a supposed cairngorum stone : the colour she named, 
 but she said it was not a stone, but glass, and so it proved to be by a file.* 
 
 August ISth. — Miss M'Avoy continues better. She slept a little last night. 
 The suspension of breathing comes on at night, but at longer intervals. She 
 
 * These stones have since been shewn at Mr. Harper's shop, in Lord Street, and they say they 
 are cairngorum stones.
 
 MISS MAKGAItET M'AVOY, 
 
 71 
 
 read and told colours very correctly with her fingers, and through glass. Pulse 
 108. The heat of the hands and fingers, by Fahrenheit's thermometer, was from 
 88 to 92 degrees during several of the late trials. Body costive. 
 
 Repr. Mist. Cathartic. 
 
 August 20th. — She had been tired with visitors to-day, and when I arrived, 
 she told colours very uncertainly. She complains of the pain in the head, and 
 throbbing over the eyes. 
 
 August 22d. — She continues much the same : told colours xerx exactly. 
 
 August 23d.— She was not so expert to-day, and could not name correctly 
 the silks, &c. inclosed between the glasses. She told, however, several colours 
 of silks and papers, both with thegogglers on, and when the gogglers were tak< n 
 oil) and one or two with the fingers pressed upon the eyelids. Two pieces of 
 sticking plaister, which had been used before, were shown to the party, as one 
 of the means used for blindfolding her : they were fixed upon the eves, with a 
 handkerchief tied properly over them. Mr. Richard Rathbone held his fingers 
 on each side of the nose, so as to prevent any possibility of seeing downwards. 
 In this situation she told one or more colours to his satisfaction. The two 
 younger brothers of Mr. Rathbone, Mr. Adam Hodgson, and several ladies 
 wiii' present. She told also one or two coloured papers, with the colours on 
 the under side. One piece of paper was purple on the under side, and ou the 
 upper it was pink. She was desired to name the upper ude, and she said it was 
 pink, but she was not observed even to touch it. She named the under Bide 
 purple. The circumstance of her naming the pink colour surprised us all. 'J he 
 gogglers were at this time used. Might Bhe not have felt the upper surface,
 
 7'2 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 though we did not observe her to do so ?* or could she have distinguished it by 
 the smell ? She also told the time of the day by the watch, and read a few words. 
 She named correctly a blue water colour, which covered the inside of a saucer. 
 
 August 27th, — Mrs. Hughes was delivered on the evening of the 24th of a 
 son, which occasioned an interruption to the influx of visitors. Mrs. Hughes 
 being very stout, and Miss M'Avoy appearing tolerably well, I was induced to 
 request them to permit Mr. Wilson, of Casterton, in Westmoreland, his son, the 
 vicar of Preston, and Mr. Edward Houghton, to see her to-day, as the two 
 former were obliged to leave town early in the morning. In their present 
 situation, I esteemed the compliance with my request a great favour. The 
 eyes were covered with the gogglers : a white cambrick handkerchief was given 
 by Mr. Wilson : she said it was white. Mr. E. Houghton gave her a silk hand- 
 kerchief, which she named yellow and scarlet ; and I gave her one, which she 
 declared to be scarlet, yellow, and chocolate, which were correct. She men- 
 tioned the colours of silk, which were placed between five double glasses, and 
 one which did not contain any silk, she declared to be void. She read the 
 direction of a letter to the Rev. R. C. Wilson, Preston, Lancashire, and the 
 post mark, Rotheram, and traced the figure 9, and named it. She read also a 
 few words, with and without a magnifying glass, in a written abstract from an 
 act of Parliament, which Mr. Wilson had in his possession. She told the time 
 of the day in two different watches, but not exactly to the minute, as I have 
 repeatedly observed her to do. When the fingers were put over the eyes, she 
 
 * I have since asked Miss M'Avoy if she felt the card previous to declaring the colour. Her 
 answ«r was, she did feel it.
 
 MISS MAKGAUET M'AVOY. 73 
 
 told nothing. The piece of pasteboard before named was fixed upon her nose. 
 She named nothing with her fingers, or on the hand, but she told two colours 
 placed upon her under lip. The other colours given to her were black, and so 
 they were after the gogglers had been taken off. The hands were warm, but 
 with a clammy moisture upon the fingers. With her hand upon the window, 
 she told the colour of the Rev. R. C. Wilson's coat, and that he had something 
 white in his hand ; but this experiment, however it might be decisive to me, 
 under the impression I have that she is blind, would not be so to any other 
 person, because Miss M'Avoy was uncovered at the moment. I hinted to Mr. 
 Wilson to go out into the street, with a rolled paper in his hand. Her face was 
 turned sideways towards me, and I placed a sheet of paper between the window 
 and her face. Complains of pain in the head. Pulse 108. In diem Aug. 23. 
 adfuerunt menses, postridie disparebant vespere. 
 
 August 30th. — I appointed Mr. Smith, an ingenious artist and engraver, to 
 meet me in St. Paul's Square, at three o'clock p. if. Before he came, a young 
 lady in the neighbourhood, seeing me go into the house, followed, and requested 
 that she might see the young person who was blind. Miss M'Avoy very kindly 
 allowed the lady to come in, and as soon as the gogglers were tied over the face, 
 a few pieces of silk were given to her : she named the colour of each separately 
 and correctly. In giving her another piece the power was gone; but as her 
 hand was held out sideways upon the table, she pressed occasionally upon the 
 left arm against the edge of the table, which made me suppose this pressure had 
 deadened the sensibility of the nerves of the ami: 1 therefore gave the colour 
 into the right hand, and she immediately named it. This experiment, which 
 had accidentally occurred, was repeated time or four times, with a similar result. 
 She told several colours of silk, inclosed between diilciuit square pieces of glass; 
 
 K
 
 7+ KAIIRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 the time of the day, to half a minute, in two different watches ; the name of the 
 hatmakcr in Mr. Smith's hat ; and read part of an advertisement which he 
 brought with him, both with and without the magnifying glass. The young 
 lady threw down a chimney ornament, containing several flowers that were 
 nearly dried up ; she attempted to take them up from the floor, after the 
 gogglers were taken off from Miss M'Avoy's face. Miss M'Avoy desired her 
 not to trouble herself. Upon being asked how she knew that any person had 
 attempted to take them up, she immediately said she heard the lady grasp them 
 in her hands. 
 
 September 1st. — Mr. Thompson called upon me to request I would in- 
 terest myself in obtaining leave to visit Miss M'Avoy, for a lady and gentleman 
 of Halifax, who were strangers, and were to leave town in the morning. Miss 
 M'Avoy agreed to receive them, and three o'clock was the hour appointed. — 
 We found Mr. Smith, the engraver, and his brother, in the house. Mr. and 
 and Miss Ramsden, Mr. \V. Ingram, Mr. Ingram, junior, Mr. Thompson and I, 
 formed the party. The gogglers were tied over the face of Mr. Ingram, junior, 
 who declared, he could not perceive the least ray of light. They were then 
 tied upon Miss M'Avoy. A hat was given to her, with the name of the maker, 
 and figures in the inside of the crown. It was lined with yellow silk. She de- 
 clared the colour of the silk lining, but could not make out the name in the hat. 
 She read a part of an advertisement upon a card ; a line or two from an old news- 
 paper, with the magnifying glass ; and Miss Ramsden's name, upon an address 
 card. She told the colours of silks separately, and between glasses ; the time of 
 the day ; the colour of different seals ; was doubtful of the colour of an amethyst, 
 calling it poppy, ruby, purple, or lilac. She named, upon a varnished box, the 
 figure of a miser, his green cap, spectacles, coat, inkhorn and pen, and his
 
 MISS MARGARET M*AVOT. 75 
 
 money. I asked her if she recollected to have had the box in her hands before ? 
 She answered, no. I then told her, Mr. Gresley, of the Infirmary, bad produced 
 it once when he visited her. She then remembered he had given her this box. 
 She lost the power for a few minutes, and then recovered it. A day or two 
 ago, she told colours which were placed upon her feet and upon her legs, 
 but she did not retain the power for more than one or two minutes. 
 
 Miss M'Avoy has complained of more pain in the head for a few days past j 
 the suspension of breathing comes on almost every half hour in the night ; but 
 she is able to rise at an early hour, and, by employment, to keep off the attacks 
 until the evening closes in. Pulse 108. 
 
 September 3d. — I this morning found Miss M'Avoy very complaining, and 
 looking worse than I have seen her for many days. It seems, a large party vi- 
 sited her yesterday. The appointment was at half past two o'clock, but the 
 party were admitted at two, before Miss M'Avoy was ready to receive them. — 
 She hurried herself in dressing, and was very much heated when she went down 
 into the parlour. Dr. Jardine and several other persons were present The 
 pasteboard and cotton were preferred by one of the gentlemen, who held his 
 ringers over the pasteboard and nose, so that it brought on agitation, and she 
 could not tell any colour, and she was soon obliged to retire into another room. 
 Her hands were of a burning heat; her face was very much flushed ; the pulse, 
 at one period, was 160. It was a considerable time before she became 
 composed. A few of the party went away, and others came in. In a short 
 time, she told colours, read, &c. so as to satisfy those who were present She 
 is affected with a slight catarrh, and complains of dulness in hearing, and of
 
 7»l NARRATIVE OF THE CASK OF 
 
 headach. It appears her hands were of so burning a heat yesterday, that she 
 bathed them in cold water. Mr. Thomas informs me the pulse was reduced lo 
 96, when she was more composed. Pulse 108 to 120. 
 
 September 4th. — Complains very much of pain and throbbing in the upper 
 part of the head. The abdomen is very tense and sore to the touch, particularly 
 about the right hypochondrium. Body costive. Pulse 120. 
 
 Repr. Frictio Ilydr. nocte maneque. 
 Itepr. Pil. Cathart. h. s. et Mist, eras mane, si sit occasio, ad alvura solvendaui. 
 
 Distinguished colours, &c. very well. 
 
 September 5th. — Complains still of the pain in her head, with a throbbing 
 sensation across the temples, and in the sockets of the eyes. I observed ber to 
 stagger with the young child in her arms, but she did not fall, as a chest of 
 drawers supported her. Body still costive. Pulse 1 OS. 
 
 Mr. Richard Rathbone, Mr. Barclay, their ladies, Miss Reynolds, of Coal- 
 brook Dale, and two other young ladies, were present in the afternoon. The 
 eyes were covered with the gogglers. She told the colour of two or three 
 sorts of silks, light blue, dark blue, and white, which covered a small pocket 
 book, belonging to Mrs. Barclay; of a white pocket handkerchief; of a 
 parasol, green, white, and green and white mixture ; and the colour of the 
 pelisses of the two young ladies, which were blue and white. She named a 
 guinea, a shilling, a sixpence, and a three shilling piece, placed upon plain 
 glass, and feeling through another glass. She became now agitated ; the feeling 
 left her, and she was not able to tell a single colour. I desired her to go out of 
 the room for a few minutes ; upon returning, she told the time of the day in one
 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOY. 
 
 77 
 
 watch exactly, in the other, not within two or three minutes ; but the afterwards 
 corrected herself. 
 
 She told the following liquids in phials : — 
 
 Blue, answered 
 
 Purple, 
 
 lied, 
 
 Orange, 
 
 Black, 
 
 Water, 
 
 Spirit of wine, 
 
 Green, 
 
 Blue. 
 
 Purple. 
 
 Red. 
 
 Orange. 
 
 Black. 
 
 Colourless, or water. 
 
 Ditto.* 
 
 Green. 
 
 She could not read any thing, and was obliged to have the gogglcis taken off two 
 or three times. She told several stones correctly. Mr. Barclay tried the 
 gogglers on, and by working the muscles of his face in different directions, he 
 managed to tell the time of the day by a watch ; but his nose was very prominent, 
 and not at all similar to that of Miss M'Avoy ; had the covering extended a little 
 more down to the point of the nose, and been tied a little tighter, it is probable 
 he could not have seen. I must observes that the cotton had been so padded 
 down, by frequent use, that there appeared an opening under the cotton, above 
 the nostrils, and she appeared to look sideways, during the latter experiments ; 
 but, I have reason to think, this mode of appearing to li ok at the < bjectj arises 
 more from habit than from any design. Mr. Barclay was not quite satisfied 
 
 • Bui pot the same ; she said it wai coldj r. The watei had hci n put into the bottle i inn 
 
 before, and ifaetpiril of wine dad been jnsl taken out from a lar^« bottle at lh< druggist'* She 
 
 had, on the 17ih of January ilared il» apirit of wine to be wanner. Might not this be explained 
 
 l.v the difference of temperature, as the bottle of water bad been in mj waiatcoat, and the q i 
 
 wiiu 111 niv Coat p0( kt-t ?
 
 78 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 with respect to the covering, and it was very natural this should be the case, 
 when he could himself* see through it. She afterwards told a purple flower behind 
 her, a light yellow, a marygold, and a small pincushion of red cloth, under a 
 white handkerchief, lying upon her knee. She was extremely ill, during the 
 greater part of this examination. She returned a cornelian heart, which Mr. 
 Rathbone had left when he visited her before, and seemed to give it to him 
 without any doubt of his person. Mr. Rathbone was low, and Mr. Barclay tall 
 in stature. The solar spectrum was thrown upon her hands, &c. but she felt 
 nothing ; the sun which shone upon her head, seemed to affect her by its 
 heat. 
 
 September 6th. — Miss M'Avoy complains very much of pain and throbbing 
 in the head, and across the eyes. She has considerable cough, with a stoppage 
 in the nose, and little expectoration. Body still costive. Pidse 120. She 
 seems so unwell that I did not ask her even to name a colour. 
 
 R. Yin Ipecac. 
 
 — Antimon. aa. 5 ss. Cap. guttas xx. ter de die ex aqua? pauxillo. 
 Repr. Mist. Cathartic. 
 
 September 6th. — Miss M'Avoy is no better. Her body is very costive. — 
 Pulse 108. Staggers as she walks across the room. Uncovered, she could not 
 name colours to-day with her fingers. Covered with the gogglers, she named a 
 straw coloured silk, placed upon her under lip. In going out, Dr. Freckleton 
 and Mr. Peacock met us, and wished to have seen Miss M'Avoy, but, being so 
 very ill, it was thought advisable for them to defer their visit to another oppor- 
 tunity. Mr. Thomas observed however, that they might as well see her, as it 
 would be an introduction, and might induce the family to receive them at a 
 future time. They went in, tried on the gogglers, and were satisfied they could
 
 MISS MARGARET Bt'AVOY. 79 
 
 not see with them. Miss M'Avoy was induced to put them on, and Mr. 
 Peacock gave her his watch ; she told the name of the metal, which was silver, 
 and the time of the day. She did the same to Dr. Freckleton's, which was 
 gold. She named the time of the day, which was a few minutes later in the one 
 watch than in the other. She was asked to name how many fingers were upon 
 the watch, but in attempting to do so, she found the power was gone. 
 I v. Infos. Sennae. C. 5 'x. ss. 
 Tiuct. SeniiEe — 5 '• s 8 * 
 
 Aloes. 
 
 Jalapss, aa. 5 ■« 
 
 Magnes. Sulphat. 5 'j« 
 
 M. Sumat. Cyathum Vinosnm 2da. qnaque liora donee sit alvus bene soluta. 
 
 September 9th. — Complains of pain in the head and throbbing, particularly 
 over the eyes. The pain at the top of the head, which was violent a few days 
 ago, is gone off; but there is a sensation of numbness left. Has taken the 
 medicine once, but it has not operated. Pulse varying from 9(i to K'O ; feeble, 
 irregular, and slightly intermitting; tongue furred in a very slight degree ; the 
 suspension of breathing comes on nearly every ten minutes. She staggers oc- 
 casionally in crossing the room. Mr. Brandreth and Mr. Thomas were present, 
 ami the eyes were examined very particularly. She told a few colours of 
 Mowers and silks by her hands, and when placed upon her lip ; but soon lost the 
 
 power. 
 
 Ki|>r. Mist Cathartic, a. a. 
 
 September 10th. — There is little alteration in her complaints. The bowels 
 have not been properly opened. 
 
 Repr. Mial 1 1 PiL Cathartic
 
 SO NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 September 11th. — I was induced to request the liberty for a few strangers 
 to visit MissM'A\ov. It was cheerfully complied with, although I had little 
 hope of her being able to tell a single colour, as she complained, not only of 
 beating in the head and throbbing, but of pain through the temples and across 
 the eyes. The hands were very hot. Before the arrival of the party, she had 
 just time enough to dress herself, as she had been en dishabille when I entered 
 the parlour. She came down tolerably composed, and her hands felt much 
 cooler. By the thermometer, the heat of the hand was 100 degrees ; it stood at 
 70 in the shade, about an hour before at the infirmary. Mr. Wilbraham Eger- 
 ton, of Tatton, Cheshire, his lady and son, Mr. Perry, Mr. Gresley, two of his 
 friends, a gentleman and lady, and Mr. Bennett, an out pupil of the infirmary, 
 were present. The gogglers were tried by Mr. Egerton, who was satisfied with 
 the mode of blindfolding her. Mrs. Egerton gave her a drab coloured silk 
 shawl, with a flowered border of different colours, white, green, red, yellow, &c. 
 which she described with great exactitude. She told the time of the day in 
 three different watches, which were not alike in time, and the colour of two, a 
 gold and a silver hunting watch. Of this latter, she said it was silver on both 
 sides, but there was no glass as in the other watch. She described the colours 
 of silk, between four pair of glasses, sealed with red wax ; and she detected the 
 one which was empty. She read a few words of a direction of a letter, but did 
 not make out the whole, as it was not very easy to decypher the writing. She 
 read with the convex glass three nanus upon a card. She told the colour of 
 Mr. Egerton's horses with her. hand upon the window glass ; that the one was a 
 light and the other a darker brown ; that a lady was seated in the curricle, and, 
 that there was something red near her. She occasionally lost the power, but 
 soon recovered it again, upon the gogglers being taken off, and being allowed 
 to go into the next room to cool herself. She was desired to continue the pur-
 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOY. 81 
 
 gative medicines, and the friction of the mercurial ointment, until her mouth 
 became sore. I recommended that no person should visit her for several days, 
 until the pain in the head, &c. were removed. 
 
 September 12th. — In calling upon Miss M'Avoy, I found the Rev. John 
 Yates, the Rev. Thomas Belsham, and the two Misses Yates, had been admitted. 
 I was not prepared with any colours for the purpose of examination, but went out 
 to procure some. Upon my return, Dr. Taylor and another gentleman, seeing the 
 Rev. J. Yates's carriage at the door, had gone into the house. She read very un- 
 certainly a few words, and told the time of the day in a watch. She named again 
 the time of the day in two other watches, which were not exactly alike. I gave 
 into her hands several pieces of silk, which she described correctly, and a few 
 wafers of rather uncertain hues, which she did not make out well. A seal was 
 given to her, but she could not name the colour. Upon the whole, her powers 
 were deficient, in comparison, to what they sometimes are. 
 
 September 1.3th. — Dr. Brandrcth, the Rev. James Hornby, Rector of 
 "Win wick, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Luke, Mr. Evans, and several other persons, 
 were present at this examination. The heat of Miss M'Avoy's hands was about 
 1)0 degrees of Fahrenheit. She told different coloured silks very correctly ; the 
 double glasses containing silks, and one piece of cotton with red stripes, which 
 hail been given to her more than once before. She read Beveral lines, in a 
 correct manner, from a volume of the Rev. Mr. Murphy's sermons, which had 
 been lately presented to her by the author, both witli and without the magnify' 
 ing glass. She endeavoured to read a part of a letter, which the Rev. Mr. 
 Hornby placed in her hands ; but she did nut do it with that certainty I have 
 often observed. She told to whom the face belonged of' an engraved portrait, 
 
 i
 
 82 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OP 
 
 which I am informed she had never had in her hands before, by feeling it all 
 over with her lingers. It was the portrait of the late Rev. William Tarleton, 
 who lost his life in consequence of a fever, which he is said to have caught 
 during a laborious attendance upon the sick poor belonging to the Roman 
 Catholic persuasion. Dr. Jardine came in a little before this period, and 
 informed us that she had named him, when placed upon the rails of the church- 
 yard, with her fingers upon the window glass*. Dr. Brandreth gave her a 
 varnished snuffbox, upon which there was the picture of an old man. She said 
 it was an old man, but she did not make it out as well as usual. Through a 
 plain glass she felt the features of a gentleman, the Rev. James Hornby, who 
 had spectacles on, reflected from a common mirror, and of Mr. Thomas, whose 
 name she mentioned. She suddenly said the power was gone. She also lost 
 the power several times before, and she did nothing when the pasteboard, with 
 cotton wool, was placed upon her nose in a horizontal direction from the nose. 
 She could not tell the colour of two seals which were given to her by Dr. 
 Brandreth, but she declared they were both stones. She told one colour, blue, 
 behind her. The hands were moderate as to temperature, except at the latter 
 end of the examination, when they became more heated and clammy. She 
 told nothing with her hands placed upon the window. The eyes were covered 
 , with the gogglers. 
 
 September 1.5th. — Miss M'Avoy still complains of the pain in the head ; 
 the throbbing sensation over the eyes is relieved : she has been walking out 
 to-day. Body still costive. The abdomen is less tense, but still sore when 
 touched. Three ladies were present. The gogglers were tied over the eyes. 
 
 * She had nerer seen Dr. Jardine beiWe her illness, when she could see.
 
 miss MARGARET m'.uov. 18 
 
 She told the time of the day in three different watches exactly. She named the 
 colours of different silks, and she told four with a handkerchief thrown over the 
 head, hetween her hand and the silks. The last colour she told in this way she 
 said was blue, and, in an instant after, it was black, and then, the power is gone. 
 The colour of the silk was blue. 
 
 R. Pil. Hydrarg. * j. divide in Pilulas xx. Capiat ij. node maneque. 
 Continr. altera remedia. 
 
 September lGth. — I saw her to-day with a gentleman of the profession. 
 
 She told the time of the day upon two watches ; three or four silks, which I 
 
 gave to her, and one silk taken from the inside of the case of the gentleman's 
 
 watch ; the nature of the metal, the colours of the seals, &c. and read a single 
 
 line in a book. The gogglers were used, as they were in the afternoon, when I 
 
 am informed Lord Stanley, the Rev. James Hornby, of Winwick, Captain 
 
 Hornby, and Mr. Thomas were present. I understand they all expressed their 
 
 satisfaction at the powers she exhibited. I saw Miss M'Avoy in the evening. 
 
 She complained of pain in the back part of the head, and throbbing across the 
 
 eyes. Body costive. Pulse 108. 
 
 Repr. Mist, et Fil. Cathartic. 
 
 September 17th. — Complains of the pain and throbbing in the head being 
 more violent than for some days past. The pulse from 96 to 108. The body 
 has been slightly opened. The suspension of breathing continues about every 
 quarter of an hour in the night. Mr. and Mrs. Kreme, Mi-. McAllister, the 
 Rev. Mr. Goodier, the MissUixons. the Mi- Leighs, Mr. Thomas Daviea, Mr. 
 Robert Clay, and several other persons, were present The weather being very 
 warm, and the gogglers heating her \ei J much, I proposed that she should liy
 
 6i NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OP 
 
 the black velvet and gold beater's skin. It was prepared by one of the ladies, 
 jVIiss Dixon, by sewing two pieces of sufficient size upon white Persian silk, 
 which being wetted with a little water, was affixed upon the eyes very closely. 
 The black velvet, with gold beater's skin, as before mentioned, was also wetted, 
 and applied over the former ; and, over all, a silk handkerchief was tied, until 
 the gold beater's skin was dried so as to adhere firmly upon the eyes and 
 surrounding parts. She named the colours of different silks, of wafers, and of 
 seals. She was mistaken in an ornament, consisting of small green and red 
 stones, in imitation of emeralds and rubies, which she said were not glass, but 
 she told the colours of each accurately, except one, although irregularly 
 intermixed. She afterwards said they were glass. She declared the colour of 
 two amethysts to be a darker and paler lilac. The paler she said was set round 
 with pearls, and was a real stone : the other, which was a seal, was not real, but 
 glass. She told the colour of silks contained in a glass bottle : she named the 
 time of the day in different watches : she read a line and a half in the Rev. Mr, 
 Murphy's Sermons, without the glass, and four lines and a half in a smnll 
 pamphlet which one of the gentlemen brought with him, with the magnifying 
 glass. She could not tell the time of the day by feeling through the green 
 glass, placed over the glass of the watch, nor could she name a colour, placed 
 below the first piece of plain glass, whilst she held the second, and passed her 
 fingers over it as usual. With a mirror upon her knee, and feeling through the 
 plain glass, she mentioned the general appearance, reflected, of a gentleman 
 looking into the glass with spectacles, and also noticed a watch which I placed 
 over the mirror. Miss M'Avoy did not to-day possess the power of distinguish- 
 ing persons in the street, by the application of the hand to the window. When 
 the gold beater's skin, &c. were taken off, it was evident that the eyelids were 
 completely closed, and that it adhered to every part surrounding the eyes.
 
 MISS MARGARET m'aVOY. 8.5 
 
 September 18th. — Miss M'Avoy is very poorly to-day. Upon the departure 
 of the visitors yesterday, I did hope she would not have been troubled again for 
 some days ; but after we left the house, I understand not less than twenty more 
 persons were at different times admitted. She complains very much of pain in 
 the head ; but the pain across, and in the sockets of the eyes, is considerably 
 relieved. The bowels are costive. Pulse 120. 
 
 •V Magnes. Sulphat. 3 ss. 
 Pulas.s. 
 
 Tartaris aa. 3 ij. 
 
 Sodae Sulphat. 5 j. M. et divide in Chartas vi. Capt. j. 2da <j. q. liora donee sit 
 alms bene soluta. 
 
 September 20th. — Continues much the same. She had taken one dose of 
 the saline composition, which had caused considerable uneasiness in the stomach. 
 The bowels had been slightly opened. The tension and soreness of the abdomen 
 is still considerable. 
 
 Repr. Pil. Cathartic, vi. h. s. et Mist, eras mane pro re nata. 
 
 Several persons came in whilst I was in the house, and Miss M'Avoy allowed 
 
 the gogglers to be tied over her eyes. She told the time of the day in three 
 different watches, and the colour of different silks. She read two or three lines 
 in different books, one of which belonged to a young lady who was present, very 
 correctly. I tried her with the glass over the head, but site could not distinguish 
 
 any object through it. 
 
 September 'j 1st. — Complains very much of pain in the head. Informs me 
 she was very ill after I had seen her yesterday. The abdomen yields a little 
 more upon pressure with the hand, but it is still sore to the touch, particularly
 
 M) NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 in the right hypochondrium. She endeavoured again to distinguish figures 
 through the plain glass upon the top of the head, but did not succeed. 
 K. Hydrarg. Snbmur. gn viii. 
 
 Tnlv. Kail. Jalaps, • ) j. 
 
 Antimon. Tartariz. ?r. ss. 
 
 Confect. Rosae gal. q. s. ut ft. Massa iu I'il. vi. dividenda. Oapt. bora somni. 
 
 Repr. Mist. Cathartic, eras mane, si sit occasio, ad alviim solvtudam. 
 
 September l 23d. — Continues much the same. The gums are slightly affected 
 with the mercurial friction and pills. The bowels are still costive. Pulse from 
 96 to 108. Several persons were present in the morning, to whom she named 
 colours; told the time of the day, &c. One gentleman gave her a seal, which 
 she said was red : upon being asked whether it was stone or glass, she hesitated 
 for a few moments, and then said it did not appear to her to be either. It was 
 a seal of Tessis composition. He also gave her a Labradore stone, the colour of 
 which, in some instances, she described correctly to our view ; in others, 
 she seemed to be incorrect. She described a seal of Dr. Brandreth one day, 
 which was variegated, and, as it lay upon her knee, a particular part appeared 
 brownish to him, but she said it was greenish. Upon looking at it attentively 
 afterwards, and in a particular position, it did appear of a greenish hue. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Earle, Mr. Win. Earle, and the young ladies of the family, the Rev. John 
 Yates, Mr. Adam Hodgson, and many other gentlemen and ladies were present 
 in the afternoon. The eyes were covered with two pieces of gold beater's skin ; 
 the one sewed upon crape, and the other upon black silk ; she read, told colours, 
 the time of the day, the colours of seals, &c. with considerable correctness, and 
 apparently to the satisfaction of the party. She felt the hair of two or three
 
 miss KABGARET fct'AVOT. s 7 
 
 gentlemen, but did not name the colour correctly. The party appeared satisfied 
 that the covering was sufficient for the purpose of blindfolding her. 
 
 September 24th.— Continues much the same with respect to her general 
 health. She did not seem very capable of distinguishing colours to-day. The 
 body has been very slightly opened by the purgatives. Pulse from <)G to 108. 
 
 Repr. Pil. Iljd. Sulmiiir. < ii. Jalap, et Antim. Tartariz. vi. h. S. a. 
 Repr. eras mane lulus. Seuiiie pro re nata. 
 
 Eight o'clock, p. m. — Mr. Thomas called upon me to say there had been a 
 large party at Miss M'Avoy's in the afternoon, and that Miss M'Avoj bad be* D 
 thrown into a very unpleasant state by the intrusion of a gentleman, who, upon 
 Mr. Thomas placing upon the eyes the first covering above described, went 
 clown upon his knees and looking up to Miss M'Avoy, declared, before it was 
 sufficiently dried, that the eye-lids were open, and that she conic! see, This 
 observation, it seems, led to others, which were unpleasant to Mis> M'Avoj 
 and to the party, and she was thrown into that state of confusion which might be 
 naturally expected from such a charge. Jf the gentleman had wished to defeat 
 the expectations of the party, he could not have taken a more effectual mcthi d, 
 as every thing which agitates her, immediately destroys the power. I have 
 since seen Mr. Nairn, a respectable surgeon, in Union-street, who was 
 present on the same day, and he assures me, that in the presence of the Kcv. 
 James Barr and Mr. M'Culloch, junior, with her eyes covered with the- gold 
 beater's skin, Mi<s M'Avoy told the time of the day in a watch, one 01 iron- 
 colours, ami satisfied them completely, Bhe was blindfolded, so as to prevent 
 her from seeing, if she even possessed the power of vision.
 
 88 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 September 2Ath.— Dr. Brandreth, the Rev. James Hornby, Captain Hornby, 
 of the Navy, the Honourable Edward Stanley, and a party from Knowsley, 
 visited Miss M'Avoy. Mr. Thomas and I were present. The eyes were 
 covered with gold beater's skin, sewed slightly upon a little crape, sufficiently 
 large to cover the eyeball, and to press down the eyelids. After it had remained 
 for some time, it was allowed by the persons present that the eyelids were pro- 
 perly closed. Another piece of gold beater's skin was sewed upon a larger 
 piece of black silk, wetted by a small sponge, dipped in water, and applied over 
 the first piece. In a little time also, this application appeared to adhere firmly 
 over the eyes, and to rest upon the upper part of the cheek. Several pieces of 
 silk were given to her ; she named the colour of each correctly. The colours of 
 the pieces of silk, inclosed between two glasses, and sealed with red wax, were 
 declared. She told the colour of several liquids contained in phial bottles. I have 
 seen her more correct than in this experiment, as she said two bottles con- 
 tained colours different from what they really were. She pointed out the various 
 colours of silks contained in a small phial bottle. She traced the lines, and 
 declared the figures printed on a piece of calico, which had, a little before, been 
 brought in from one of the shops, and she told also, generally, the different Colours 
 of the print. She named the time of the day, in different watches, exactly ; the 
 colour of seals ; and she read some lines both with and without the magnifying 
 glass. She told a guinea, a shilling, and a sixpence, placed upon one glass, 
 through another plain glass ; but an eighteen penny piece, she could describe 
 only as larger than a shilling. If I mistake not, she said afterwards " bank 
 token was marked upon it," the reverse side being uppermost. She described 
 through the plain glass, the persons of two gentlemen, reflected from a mirror. 
 She thought one of the gentlemen was Mr. Hornby, whose reflected image she 
 had described before in a similar manner. Captain Hornby, who had put on his
 
 MISS MARGARF.T M'aVOY. S<J 
 
 brother's spectacles, is said to bear a strong resemblance to trim. Mr. James 
 Hornby wears powder ; but she said the gentleman whom she perceived, had 
 dark hair. Captain Hornby then took off the spectacles, and applied an eye 
 glass to one eye. She declared that a hand was raised up to his face, and then, 
 that he had a glass in his hand. She could not read with a concave glass at a 
 short distance ; but when it was placed upon the book, she read two or three 
 words. She lost the power occasionally, and went into the back room. Dr. 
 Brandreth, Captain Hornby, and I, followed her. With her hands upon her 
 back, she could not name the colour of one or two pieces which were put into 
 her hands ; but she told correctly three colours, with one hand placed rather 
 sideways than behind her. She was still covered with the gold beater's skin. — 
 Air. James Hornby was requested to take oh" the covering, and he, as well as 
 the rest of the party, had no doubt of her being perfectly blindfolded, and that 
 she could not have seen, even if her eyes had been perfect. 
 
 September 26th. — Complains still of pain in the head ; but in other respects, 
 she seems rather better. Her body lias been slightly opened. Pulse !»<> to 1US, 
 irregular and slightly intermitting. She could not name any colour to day. 
 She was not covered. 
 
 September '27th. — The two Miss Alansons, of Wavcrtrce, and another young 
 lady, called upon me to request I would obtain permission for them l«> Bee Miss 
 M'Avoy. I appointed half after two o'clock to meet them in St. Paul's Square, 
 as I bad little doubt of obtaining the necessary permission. Miss M'Avoj WM 
 covered with the gogglers. She told the colours of several silks; and of' tin 1 
 silks contained between the glasses. As a party from Knowsley WM expected, 
 1 thought it better to defer the trial of any more experiments until then arrival 
 
 M
 
 90 NARIIATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 It happened, however, that they did not come, and I proceeded to fix the gold 
 beater's skin upon the eyes. The pieces with crape and gold beater's skin were 
 first applied after closing the eyelids j and afterwards the black silk and gold 
 beater's skin. They were allowed a sufficient time to dry and adhere to the 
 skin. She told the time of the day in a watch, exactly to a minute. She named 
 two pieces of money placed upon a glass, feeling through another piece of glass. 
 She told the reflected appearance of one of the ladies, from a mirror, through a 
 plain glass, with great correctness ; and, when the lady had put on her face a pair 
 of spectacles, and looked into the glass, Miss M'Avoy immediately observed the 
 lady had put on the spectacles. She read several lines both with and without 
 glasses, in two different books. The coverings were now taken off, which had 
 adhered firmly to the skin ; the eyelids appeared to be perfectly closed, and it 
 was some time before she could open them, from their being, as it were, glued 
 together. She complains still of the pain in the head, and occasional throbbing 
 across the eyes ; the abdomen is more easily compressible. The bowels are 
 slightly acted upon by the purgatives. Pulse 10S. 
 
 September 29th. — I was requested to meet Dr. Mackenzie, of the medical 
 staff, this morning, about the usual time of my visiting Miss M'Avoy. I found 
 him, accompanied by three ladies. Mr. Thomas, and Mr. Joseph Brandreth, 
 were also present. Miss M'Avoy seemed very much better in her general 
 health ; the gums were affected by the mercurial friction and pills ; she still 
 however, complains of pain in the head and throbbing across the temples, but 
 not in so great a degree as before. Pulse 108 to 120. 
 
 She went through the different trials to the entire satisfaction of the parties 
 w ho were present. The gold beater's skin was used ; the first piece was sewn
 
 MISS MAKGAKET m'.WOV. 91 
 
 upon muslin ; and after this was applied and allowed to he sufficiently dried, 
 another piece of gold heater's skin, which had been sewed upon hlack velvet, 
 was wetted and applied over the first piece. It adhered to the upper part of the 
 cheek hone. When these were taken off Dr. Mackenzie and Mr. Brandreth 
 declared their conviction of Miss M'Avoy being blindfolded effectually. I re- 
 quested Mr. Brandreth again to try the effects of the belladonna, rubbed with a 
 camel hair pencil upon the upper eyelid. The strong solution which had 
 been made use of before, for a similar experiment, was now used. The pupils 
 did not appear to be more dilated, or, at least, in no ma'erial degree, after it bad 
 remained on the upper eyelid for a considerable time ; and, it seemed to be their 
 joint opinion, that Miss M'Avoy was blind, and the blindness was occasioned by 
 the defect of the optic nerve. 
 
 In the morning Mr. Brooke of the Custom-house called upon me., to request 
 I would obtain permission for Mr Leicester, one of the Welsh Judges, Mr. 
 Goodbank, and himself, to visit Miss M'Avoy. The hour appointed was half 
 past two in the afternoon. I met Mr. Davenport, an old friend, who carries on 
 an extensive pottery and glass manufactory in Staffordshire, as I was going to 
 St. Paul's Square, and requested him to accompany me. When we arrived, 
 we found the gentlemen above named already there, and Dr. Jardine also made 
 one of the party. The eyes were, after a little time, covered with the gold 
 beater's skin, sewed upon muslin, ami applied as before. After having 
 been allowed to remain for a few minutes, that they might lie completely 
 dried, the second application of gold beater's •-kin and black velvet was made 
 
 over the former covering. The gentlemen allowed that the mode of blindfold- 
 ing was complete. Three or four silks were given lo her, which Bhe named 
 correctly. Three silk handkerchiefs were separately given to her. The first
 
 02 NARRATlTE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 was yellow and red, with another dark colour, which slie said was yellow, red, 
 and brown ; but I am not certain whether the colour was black, or a dark green 
 or brown. The second was red, yellow, and chocolate ; the third was red and 
 white, which were correctly named. She told a straw colour inclosed between 
 two glasses. Three watches were given to her : she told the time of the day in 
 all of them correctly, except in Mr. Leicester's watch, when she named the time 
 of the day as fifteen minutes past three ; but her finger was upon the second 
 hand at the moment, which pointed at fifteen minutes past three. Upon being 
 told she had mistaken the finger, she found out where the other pointed, and 
 stated the time correctly. In this watch, also, the hour, minute, and second 
 hands were steel, which is not very common in watches. Upon being asked 
 of what metal they were composed, she answered steel. She named the colour 
 of the metal of the watch : she read several lines, both with and without the 
 magnifying glass : she named the colour of two or three seals, and of three or 
 four liquids contained in phials. She appeared to distinguish, three different 
 times, spirits of wine from water.* The gentlemen then attended to the taking 
 off the coverings, and from the mode in which the lower covering appeared to 
 adhere, and to press upon the eyelids, which appeared through the muslin to be 
 entirely closed, independent of the other covering of black velvet and gold 
 beater's skin, not the slightest doubt existed in their minds of the truth of the 
 statement they had heard and seen. 
 
 September 30th. — Miss M'Avoy is certainly better in her general health 
 
 * There was a little difference in the size of the bottles, but she did not appear to judge from 
 the furin of the bottles, as the bottle was held about the middle, and was never examined as to th« 
 length.
 
 MfSS MARGARET M c AVOY« 93 
 
 since the mercury has excited its proper action upon the system. She still, 
 however, complains of pain in the head, and her body is generally obdurate, if 
 not almost constantly acted upon by purgatives. Pulse 108. The skin more 
 moderate in its temperature than usual. 
 
 Cont. Remedia. 
 
 Mr. Bootle Wilbraham, and apart of his family from Lathom, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Pilkington of Bolton, Mr. and Mrs. Gaskell, Mr. Lyall, Drs. Brandretli and 
 Jardine, Mr. "Willis Earle and daughter, Miss Lutyens, Mr. Willis Earlc, jun, 
 Mr. Thomas Hodgson, Mr. Martin, Mr. Josiah Williamson, Mr. French, and 
 several other gentlemen and ladies, were present. Miss M'Avoy was covered 
 exactly as yesterday, with the gold beater's skin, muslin, and velvet. The mode 
 of blindfolding her was examined with minute attention, and every person 
 appeared satisfied that the coverings were sufficient for the purpose. A few silks 
 were given to her, which she named correctly. She then told the colours upon 
 a piece of variegated marble ; but she did not name them quite correctlv. She 
 declared the red, the whitish, but not any other colour correctly. A very dark 
 green colour she said was brown or black. She told the time of the da\ in 
 three or four watches to half a minute, and she affected a sort of indignant 
 pleasantry at Dr. Brandretli having attempted to deceive her, by putting white 
 paper over the dial plate of his watch, which she immediately detected. She 
 read several lines in two books, both with and without the magnifying glass, 
 generally with correctness, and also in a printed paper given her by Mr. Josiah 
 Williamson. She told through a plain glass a guinea, two separate shillings of 
 the new coinage, with their superficial bearings, and two plain shillings of the 
 old coinage. In the one she observed that it was crooked, and in the other that 
 there was a dark line, which originated from the upper part of the head nol
 
 y-t NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OP 
 
 being entirely defaced. Another guinea, which was placed upon the left side 
 of the others, she did not observe. She told the reflected image of a gentleman's 
 (Mr. Lyall) coat and hat : she described his eyes to be shut, and then to be 
 opened again, and that he had brown hair. A lady's image was placed in a 
 situation to be reflected, but I presume it could not be so, as Miss M'Avoy only 
 described the riband of her hat, without mentioning the chip bonnet she wore, 
 which was so conspicuous that it could not have been placed so as to come in 
 contact with her fingers. She told the colour of two rings which were given to 
 her, and set with different stones. She named correctly three or four wafers, 
 which Mr. Wilbraham gave me to present her. Upon my placing my hand 
 before her, a little below her mouth, she very soon found there was some ob- 
 struction to her breathing. 
 
 Mrs. Gaskell presented to her a book, when Miss M'Avoy had retired, being 
 oppressed with heat, as there was a great number of persons in the room, which 
 Miss M'Avoy named, when covered with the gogglers, to be of a reddish hue. 
 She declared the same of this book when placed in such a situation as to be 
 reflected from the mirror. After these experiments, Drs. Braudreth, Jardine, 
 and I examined the eyes. The left pupil appeared at least six times more 
 dilated than the right, which has not been usually the case, and it was almost of 
 a pentagonal form. Could the belladonna applied yesterday have produced 
 this effect ? There seemed to be no contractile power in the pupil of either eye.* 
 
 * October 1st. — Mr. Martin called upon me twice to-<lay. I had the pleasure of seeing him in the 
 afternoon. He informs me he did not wish to give his opinion at large in the room, but he now told me 
 he was not satisfied Miss M'Avoy was blindfolded, and that a friend had applied the gold beater's skin 
 in a similar way upon his own eyes, anil could see. I agree with Mr. Martin, that any man may force
 
 MISS MARG.UtET M'.WOY. 95 
 
 October 1st.— Mr. Hughes had advertised his intention of admitting no 
 
 parties to visit his step-daughter in future, as his family affairs, the comfort of 
 his wife and of himself, independent of the danger accruing to Miss M'Avoy 
 from these every-day examinations, of injuring her health, were at stake. It 
 was understood, however, that it might be possible to gain entrance to day, as 
 permission had been granted to a few friends of Mr. Thomas to visit Miss 
 M'Avoy. The room was almost inundated with ladies and gentlemen. Amongst 
 a few of the persons present, I observed Mr. Wolsely, who introduced me to 
 his friend the Rev. Dr. Mason, of New York, Mrs. Wolsely, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Samuel Hope, Dr. Freckleton, Mr. Peacock, Mr. J. Myers and his sisters, Mr. 
 J. Baines, Mr. J. Smith, and several other individuals whom I did not know. 
 The late mode of covering the eyes with gold beater's skin was adopted. The 
 velvet made use of was thinner than that which had been used before, being silk 
 velvet. This, however, was of little consequence, as the first covering had 
 before been placed over the eyelids when closed down. 
 
 Several colours of silks, liquids, and papers, were given to her, which she told 
 
 open the eyelids, by a strong exertion of their muscles ; but if there be the same scrutinizing exa- 
 mination upon his friend's covering as that upon Miss M'Avoy, I dare assert that the motion of the 
 1 vi lid would have been seen by an observer ; but I believe no person ever gaw the ey< lids "l \| 
 M'Avoy raised after the gold beater's skin had properly adhered. Mr. Martin has proposed a machine 
 for preventing Miss M'Avoy from seeing the object, yet giving the power of smell and lu-iMihing. 
 Although my opinion respectim: Mi-.-. M'Avoy 's blindness is not at all iufluenced bv Mr. Martin's 
 scepticism, I shall still be happy to assist him in any pmjetl <■! this kind, which may convince linn, 
 or may still further satisfy the public mind. Mr. Martin had, however, expressed himself satisfied, 
 Upon In nig asked the question in the room, whether hi thought Mis.-. M'Avoy was blindfolded by the 
 gold beater's skin.
 
 s um.vnvE of THE case of 
 
 generally correctly. A bottle of water, and one of spirits of wine, of equal 
 weight, were placed one after the other in her hand ; but I am not certain whe- 
 ther she named them correctly in the first instance, as I was not sufficiently 
 guarded to see which was the water and which the spirits of wine, before I placed 
 them in her hand. She told the colour of the paper which covered them at the 
 top, as I had received them this morning from Mr. Robert Clay, in Ranelagh- 
 street. I afterwards gave one into each hand, and she declared which phial 
 contained the water, and which the spirits of wine. Upon examining them, 
 I found she was correct in her statement. Different watches were given to her, 
 and she named the time of the day exactly, the colour of the metal, and the 
 hands. Dr. Mason altered the time of the day in his watch, and it was placed 
 in a line with her eyes, and she told the time of the day, but was not able to tell 
 the colour of the hands. She did not name a colour under a hat, which Dr. 
 Mason gave her, nor did she tell the colour of the lining. She named the co- 
 lours tolerably correctly in two or three shawls ; but she once asked if a green 
 shawl was black ; and, in describing the shade of the green, she said it was a 
 bottle green, but it was a much lighter green. The reflected image of Dr. 
 Freckleton, from a mirror, she named through a plain glass, as a gentleman of 
 pleasing face and light hair. A pair of spectacles were put upon his face, which 
 she detected, and she told when they were taken off. She named the colour of 
 the Claude Lorraine glasses incorrectly. Miss M'Avoy read a word here and 
 there, but not in the correct manner I have observed her to do. When the gold 
 beater's skin was taken off, Dr. Mason, Dr. Freckleton, and other persons ex- 
 pressed themselves, as if they thought it must have blindfolded her. The skin 
 of the cheek had been drawn out as it was taken off, and the eyelids appeared 
 perfectly closed. A large party remained in the back room after I left the house, 
 and she went through a variety of experiments much more correctly than before.
 
 MISS MAIIGARET M'aVOY. 97 
 
 She told the bottles with spirits of wine ami with water, correctly, two or three 
 times. She declared the face of a gentleman, reflected through the plain glass, 
 from the mirror, to be the same gentleman whom she had named before. 
 
 Dr. Freckleton mentioned the circumstance of Miss M 'A voy taking a pair 
 of scissars from her mother, when offered to her, as if she could see ; and he 
 also said, that in going to take some papers from the chimney piece, he was 
 afraid she would have thrown down two bottles he had placed there, and of 
 which she was not aware, if he had not prevented her. Upon the whole, Miss 
 M'Avoy did not succeed so well as she does in general, which I think was 
 owing partly to persons crowding too much around her, but principally to a 
 letter received by Mr. Hughes, her stepfather, which, being unfortunately read 
 to her before this meeting took place, had considerably distressed her, as it did 
 not simply imply a doubt, but an absolute certainty of imposition. 
 
 Mr. Hughes has sent me a copy of his letter to this gentleman, which I pre- 
 sume occasioned this answer. As I am perfectly unacquainted with the gen- 
 tleman, and was not present on the day when the circumstance occurred, I have 
 inserted the two letters in the appendix, that the persons who were present may 
 judge how far the gentleman's statements are correct. 
 
 Since this narrative went to the press, several parties have visited Miss 
 M'Avoy, and have declared their conviction of her being blindfolded, and of 
 being able to distinguish colours, read, tell the time of the day, Sec. Amongst 
 the number who have seen her are, the Bishop of Chester, the Vicar of Bolton, 
 Lord Lili'ord, Mr. Ireland Blackburne, ami Mr. Blundell, of [nee. 
 
 N
 
 98 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF MISS MARGARET M'AVOY. 
 
 The Reverend Jonathan Brooks, Mr. Thomas Cropper, Mr. John Cropper, 
 Mr. Thomas Corrie, Mr. Shuttleworth, Mr. W. Ingram, and a very large party 
 of ladies, visited Miss M'Avoy on the 13th of October. Miss M'Avoy's eyes, 
 particularly the left, were so sore, that the gold beater's skin upon black velvet, 
 with a piece of plain silk placed in the centre, was only applied to each eye. 
 The covering was not as satisfactory as I could have wished, nor do I think it 
 would convince any of the party that Miss M'Avoy was blindfolded ; of course, 
 all the experiments made on this day would be nugatory. Some of the party 
 thought the gogglers more effectual, and she readily assented to have them tied 
 on. She appeared, however, not to be able to tell a single colour, having been 
 very much exhausted during the first trials.
 
 REMARKS 
 
 UPON 
 
 MISS M'AVOY'S CASE. 
 
 Tiikhe are few cases upon record, which have been attended with symptoms of 
 so violent a nature as the one above related, in which death has not been the 
 consequence. On the fourth day after the convulsions came on, the extreme 
 state of exhaustion to which Miss M'Avoy was reduced, indicated a speedy and 
 fatal termination, and we had little hope of seeing her alive at the period of our 
 next visit. The discharge which took place was undoubtedly the cause of her 
 life being prolonged. If our patient had died, it is probable we might have 
 ascertained the mode by which this fluid was discharged, and from whence it 
 came. The certainty of her being alive, however, is of more importance than 
 the means by which she was saved j and I am satisfied in endeavouring only 
 to account for them by conjecture. I think it possible, from the history 1 re- 
 ceived of the disease upon the 6th of June, 1816, thai compression of the brain 
 actually existed at that period, and that convulsions, and even blindness, might
 
 100 NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OP 
 
 reasonably be expected to follow. The disappearance of the oedema from the 
 lower extremities ; the scarcely perceptible fluctuation in the abdomen ; the 
 increase of pain, and throbbing in the head; and the giddiness which ensued, 
 led me to suppose that fluid was collected somewhere between the membranes, 
 or in the ventricles of the brain. Is it probable, that the disappearance of the 
 edema from the extremities, could have caused any sudden translation of serous 
 fluid to the brain ? This question brings to my remembrance cases, related by 
 authors, of the sudden disappearance of oedema having produced collections of 
 fluid in the ventricles, and between the membranes of the brain. I more parti- 
 cularly recollect an instance of this kind which occurred in my own practice a 
 few years ago, and which I shall relate: — A poor woman, living in a cellar, sent 
 for me about a fortnight after her confinement. She was afflicted with that 
 leucophlegmatic swellingof one of the lowerextremities, which the late Mr. White, 
 of Manchester, so ably described. The usual remedies had been prescribed with 
 some benefit ; but on the fourth day after I visited her, the floor of the cellar 
 being formed of bricks, was on that morning washed, and this unfortunate 
 woman having occasion to get out of bed, by some means walked across the floor 
 without shoes or stockings, and then returned to bed. She was seized with con- 
 vulsions ; her features were horridly distorted, and death ensued on the following 
 day. The leucophlegmatic swelling almost entirely disappeared previous to the 
 attack of convulsions •> and, I have little doubt, had the head been opened, and 
 the brain examined, that fluid to a considerable amount would have been found 
 in the ventricles, or between the meninges. 
 
 In the history of cases where convulsions have terminated in death, and the 
 body has been subjected to dissection, it has generally been found that compres- 
 sion of the brain existed, and owed its origin to causes tending to impede its
 
 MISS MARGAIII'.T M'aVOY. 1(11 
 
 action. Our knowledge of the brain, e\ en with the improved mode of dissecting 
 it, which we owe to the accurate and scientific anatomists Drs. (Jail and 
 Spurzheim, is still very confined ; and from the pulpy, and almost inseparable 
 nature of its component parts, it will probably be at a very distant era before 
 its anatomy is clearly ascertained. It is, however, generally allowed, that the 
 brain, from which the nerves are propagated to the organs of the senses, and to 
 the extreme parts of the body, giving sensation, and becoming agents of the will, 
 is of great importance in the animal economy ; but it is dependent also for the 
 perpetual renewal and support of its functions upon the blood. Whatever causes 
 an interruption to, or an increased action, in this circulation, so as to influence 
 the general system of the body, may ultimately ailed the brain. If, by any 
 sudden emotion, or passion of the mind, or from the effects of disease, the blood 
 be propelled with too great violence to the brain, the intellect will be disordered, 
 and the ideas will succeed each other with irregularity, or too great rapidity — 
 When obstruction takes place in the return of the blood through the extremities 
 of the vessels of the brain, the function of the brain is suddenly suppressed, and 
 the body is deprived of all voluntary exertion, although the vital motion may 
 remain, for a time, unimpaired : but, if this obstruction be not relieved by the 
 removal of its cause, the spark of life will at last become extinct. So intimate is 
 the connexion between the circulation of the blood and the nervous bj stem, that 
 if the one fails, the other becomes paralysed or dies : for instance, it' tlie large 
 artery of a limb be compressed or tied (irmly with a ligature, the function of the 
 nerve will be ultimately destroyed, because the circulation of the blood through 
 the nerve being obstructed, it loses its powers. On the other ham!, if the nerve 
 be cut through, or tied, the power of voluntary motion is lost, and the animal 
 can no longer move the limb. Therefore, whatever affects the healthy action 
 of the brain, or prevents the due circulation of the blood through it, will be ,
 
 105 REMARKS UPON THE CASE OF 
 
 ductive of disease. In this way, blood, poured out by the rupture of a blood 
 vessel in the brain, or in its membranes ; tumours ; collections of pus after inflam- 
 mation ; fractures of the cranium ; effusion of serous fluid between the cranium 
 and dura mater; between the dura and pia mater, or theconvolutions of the latter, 
 or fluid collected in the ventricles, will cause compression of the brain. I ask 
 again, therefore, is it not probable, that compression of the brain might have 
 taken place in this case, from the sudden absorption of a larger quantity of serous 
 fluid into the circulation than it could bear; and might it not be necessary that 
 this superfluity should be somewhere deposited to prevent the extinction of life ' J 
 If we consider the mode in which the circulation is carried on in the extreme 
 vessels, the effusion of serous fluid between the meninges, or into the ventricles 
 of the brain, by any sudden impletion of this kind, may be accounted for. 
 
 In all the cavities of the animal body it is necessary, for the due performance 
 of their functions, that they should be moistened by a serous fluid, or vapour, 
 which is produced from the secreting extremities of the arteries, and is taken 
 up by the minute mouths of the returning vessels, so that it should be inces- 
 santly renewed, but never accumulated beyond a certain degree. Of course, if 
 any cause should occur to interrupt this mutual action existing between these 
 two vascular systems, so that the one should be unusually distended by an 
 excessive quantity of fluid, a rupture of the vessels must either take place, or a 
 quantity of serous fluid be effused, to relieve this oppressive bulk, into the 
 cavities of the brain, or between its meninges, where it will remain, unless the 
 absorbent vessels have the power of taking it up, and returning it into the 
 circulation. 
 
 In this case, the pain in the fore and back part of the head was chiefly
 
 MISS MARGARET m'woy. 103 
 
 comi)Iained of. The throbbing and beating sensation seemed to be very deeply 
 seated, and it was more than once observed, that a generally tumbled appearance 
 had taken place in the scalp of the occiput, nearly where thelambdoidal suture 
 joins the parietal bones to the occipital. This appearance, after the discharge 
 had taken place, went away, and recurred more than once again upon the return 
 of the convulsions, and was more particularly evident previous to the attack 
 which took place in December, 1816. 
 
 There are cases upon record, which admit of large quantities of Huid being 
 collected between the cranium and dura mater, as well as between the other 
 membranes of the brain ; but the quantity which has been collected in the 
 ventricles of the brain, has sometimes been so enormous as to detach the bones 
 from each other, at their connection, by suture, and to enlarge the volume of 
 the brain to an extent that seems enormous. Examples of this kind will be 
 found in the Sepulchretum Anatomicum Boneti, and in Morgagni de Sedibus et 
 Causis Morborum. In many cases of hydrocephalus, the quantity of fluid 
 found, upon dissection, in the ventricles, is by no means considerable. It has 
 been surmised, that the fluid was collected in some tumour at the back of the 
 nose, or in the gullet; but I do not think it possible that a tumour could have 
 existed in that situation, containing any moderate quantity of fluid, without 
 being perceived by its effects upon the speech, or breathing, or in swallowing. 
 
 The more probable mode of accounting for it, is certainly that which is 
 stated above, of a collection of fluid in the ventricles, or between the meninges 
 of the brain. Dr. Bostock'a experiments prove that the fluid was similar to that 
 effused from serous cavities, and, ill its nature, a true dropsical Huid, hut hedo&J 
 not think it was similar to that contained in the ventricles of the brain, in
 
 10t NARRATIVE OF THE CASE OF 
 
 hydrocephalus, because it contained a larger quantity of animal matter; but at 
 the same time, its solid contents were less than those of the serum of the blood. 
 He presumes, however, that it was mixed with the mucous fluid, which is 
 occasionally expelled from the lungs and fauces, in its passage through the nose 
 or mouth. It is not of material importance whether the fluid was contained in 
 the ventricles, or between the meninges of the brain, as compression would 
 equally be produced in the one case as in the other. 
 
 That the fluid was discharged in large quantities after the first attack of 
 convulsions, which took place in June, can hardly be doubted, when it is con- 
 sidered that, on the fourth day after it commenced, no less a quantity than seven 
 ounces were expelled at only two efforts, which succeeded each other almost as 
 quickly as the efforts of expiration and inspiration. The quantity discharged 
 appears to have been so great, that had it not found an exit, it must have been 
 retained between the meninges, or in the ventricles, and most probably would 
 have caused the death of the patient. 
 
 The acrimony of the fluid, during its accumulation and detention, may have 
 opened a passage for itself from the cranium, and it seems probable, from the 
 mode in which it was discharged, that it may have made its way through that 
 part of the ethmoid bone which is contiguous to the back of the nose. If this 
 were the case, it is also probable that the small quantity of fluid, which escaped 
 in two of the following attacks of convulsions, might have passed off from the 
 same orifice, and through the nose, as well as in the last, where it escaped much 
 in the same way as during the first discharge, and in a considerable quantity. 
 Of this, however, only a very inconsiderable part was obtained, resembling the 
 white of an egg in colour, consistence, and general appearance. In confirmation
 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOT. 10.5 
 
 of the probability of a passage for the fluid having been formed in this way, I 
 will quote an extract from Morgagni, giving an account of the dissection of a 
 sheep which had been afflicted with water in the head. 
 
 " This sheep avoided herding with the flock, and every day, by intervals 
 rolled himself upon the earth, nor would suffer his head to be touched, but 
 avoided it by all possible endeavours. Valsalva observing this, and being desir- 
 ous to know the origin of the pain, purchased and dissected the sheep :* nor did 
 he find any thing morbid elsewhere than in the brain ; for when he first took it 
 out from the cranium, a little acidulated water fell from that part where the 
 mamillary process approached to the os ethmoides. But a greater quantity of 
 water was effused when it was pulled away from the pituitary gland. Then, in 
 dissecting the brain, when he came to the lateral ventricles, a follicle appeared 
 therein, containing a good quantity of water, being made of a membrane which 
 seemed to be a production of the pia mater, except that some very small carptu- 
 cles were scattered through it, resembling the medullary substance of the brain. 
 The roots of the follicle came out from the bottom of the right ventricle, and 
 wheresoever they were, below this ventricle, there the substance of the brain, 
 both in its medullary and cortical part, was corrupted all round to a considerable 
 extent. In short, the whole brain was extremely flaccid ; nevertheless, the 
 disposition of the nerves was as usual. The examination being carried on, that 
 part of the os ethmoides which lies under the mamillary processes was found to 
 be so much eroded by the continual dripping of water from the brain, as to 
 afford a free passage from the cranium to the nostrils." — L. 1, Art. 6. 
 
 • Morgagni does not aaj whether Valsalva killed this -.lidp, altluui^li it seems to be implied. 
 Miglit do! a diai barge bare taken place, :>^ in Mia M'Avoy'i case, and the iheep ban been relieved, 
 
 if it hud been allowed to live ?
 
 106 REMARKS UPON THE CASE OF 
 
 Whether the convulsive motion of the diaphragm, and the suspension of 
 breathing which followed it, and which still comes on at intervals in the night, 
 are to be attributed to the state of the brain, or to visceral obstruction, I can 
 hardly determine. From the pain and throbbing of the head, and the deep 
 seated pain which is often felt in the sockets of the eyes, we have reason to fear 
 that diseased action still exists in the brain. Miss M'Avoy, in giving an account 
 of her feelings, describes the staggering as being more dependent upon the 
 darting pain which she occasionally feels, as if struck through the heart with a 
 sharp instrument. 
 
 The peculiar powers which she appears to possess of distinguishing colours, 
 reading, &c. with her fingers, are of so extraordinary a nature, as, with our 
 present information, to preclude all reasoning upon the subject. This faculty 
 has certainly, however, originated from a morbid aflection of the nervous system, 
 which having deprived her of sight, has occasioned this singular faculty to be 
 brought into action. The modus operandi will not be easily elucidated, nor will 
 individuals who have not seen her, believe that she can exercise these powers 
 without seeing. 
 
 Until the middle of October, no doubt was entertained of Miss M'Avoy 
 being entirely blind. I had, early in September, observed the dilatation of the 
 pupil to be somewhat diminished from what it had been when I visited her in 
 August. Mr. Thomas, who was present at the time, obtained a candle, and we 
 applied it as suddenly and closely to each pupil as possible, without observing 
 either of them to contract or to dilate. A number of the experiments I have 
 made are detailed in the narrative, which, in ordinary cases, would be sufficient 
 to satisfy the most sceptical that the organ of vision was destroyed. The
 
 MISS MARGARET -M'aVOY. 107 
 
 irregular dilatation and contraction which was observed in October, however, 
 induced Mr. James Dawson, and other gentlemen of the profession, to presume 
 Miss M'Avoy could see. But this is not a conclusive reason, because many 
 instances have occurred of blindness, where the contraction and dilatation of 
 the pupil has been much more perfect than in this case. 
 
 Indeed, I once imagined, when looking at the eye through a magnifying 
 glass, at a time too when the sun fell strongly upon it, that I observed something 
 like filaments extending across the pupil. She can gaze upon the sun without 
 affecting the eyes in the least degree ; and the solar spectrum thrown upon the 
 eyes, however suddenly, did not seem to make the least impression. 
 
 Had the fact of blindness been unanimously agreed upon, I would have 
 endeavoured to have given an explanation of some of the phenomena detailed 
 above ; but until it be ascertained in a manner that shall be satisfactory to the 
 public, it would be absurd to attempt it. 
 
 My colleague, Mr. Brandretli, who ranks very high as a consulting surgeon 
 and oculist, has favoured me with his opinion upon the subject, which I shall 
 quote in his own words. 
 
 " College Lane, Sunday Morning. 
 " My dear Sir, 
 
 " In compliance with your request, I have 
 repeatedly examined Miss M'Av<>\ \ eyea with all Hie attention so important a 
 case requires. It is the firm conviction of naj mind thai ihe is really blind. — 
 AVith respect to the iris, 1 ha\e no doubl that, at BOOM period or other, it I
 
 IDS REMARKS UrON THE CASE OF 
 
 been much inflamed, and that adhesion of some of the fihres with each other 
 has heen the consequence. I judge this to be the case, from the seemingly 
 capricious manner, if I may so speak, in which it contracts and dilates, although 
 in neither case, to any great extent. I have more than once used a strong 
 solution of belladonna to the eye and surrounding parts, without producing any 
 sensible dilatation. The first time I used belladonna, it seemed to enlarge the 
 pupil of the right eye to a certain extent, but by no means in a similar way to 
 what occurs in a healthy state of the iris. I have sometimes seen it more relaxed 
 in a bright light than in a weak one. I have thrown the light of a candle on 
 the centre of the cornea, through a powerful double convex lens, without its 
 contracting in the slightest degree. 
 
 " I am, 
 
 " Dear Sir, 
 
 " Your's truly, 
 
 " J. Brandreth." 
 
 This case, in a medical point of view, is curious, and if her blindness be 
 allowed, the extraordinary powers above related may lead to conclusions of con- 
 siderable importance in the philosophical world. My only motives for publish- 
 ing them are to give a plain unvarnished statement of facts, and to satisfy the 
 public mind, which has been roused into extreme curiosity, that no efforts have 
 been wanting on my part to elucidate the fact of her blindness ; or that she 
 could, when blindfolded, distinguish colours, read, &c. &c. 
 
 I have heard many assertions made by individuals, tending to prove that 
 Miss M'Avoy read words, when her fingers had never touched the letters ; that 
 she could go about the business of the house, and find any thing better than any
 
 MISS MARGARET M'AVOY. 10Q 
 
 of the family. The first of these assertions I think must have been made by 
 those persons whose minds have been biassed against her, as, in all the experi- 
 ments I have made, she always passed her fingers over the letters before she read 
 them, and she has often read them when the letters were covered with one hand. 
 As to the latter assertion, I can give my own evidence that she is very expert ; 
 but even in these instances, circumstances have occurred which have given 
 corroborative proof of her blindness ; at any rate, I am merely the historian of 
 her case, not the advocate of imposture ; and if any evidence can be advanced 
 that she can see, which is better than what I have produced of her blindness, I 
 shall not hesitate to retract an opinion, which has not been founded upon slight 
 grounds, nor without the due consideration the subject demands. 
 
 These questions were put to Miss M'Avoy, which she answered in the fol- 
 lowing manner : — 
 
 Qurs. Did you ever knit a stocking before you was deprived of sight ? 
 
 Ans. — Yes. 
 
 Q„e $ . When your mother gave you the knitting, did you find it difficult to execute ? 
 
 jf„ s J found it very difficult at first, and did not know well how to begin ; but I soon leant it. 
 
 and felt gratified that I had succeeded. 
 
 lines. — Were you more expert in sewing? 
 
 A nSx I experienced much the same feeling as in knitting. 
 
 Q H( , S What sensation did you feci when you first were asked and told the colour of my coat ? 
 
 yf„ s _ At first it was a sensation of BStonishmi m, and llien of pleasure. 
 
 Ques. — Do you prefer any colour ? 
 
 y| W4- [ prefer the brighter colours, as ibej give apleamrabU feeling; i tori "i gkm to my 
 
 Sogers, and indeed all tbrougl ■. — liL. k gives me rather a shuddering fed. 
 
 Q lies _ is the feeling similar when they art inclosed in s phial bottle, orwh< nyou (eel through 
 
 tin plain glass t
 
 1 10 REMARKS UPON THE CASE OF 
 
 Ans . — Yes : it is similar ; bat not exactly so, if the bottle be cold. 
 
 Qurs. — Do you feel the colonr equally well if two glasses arc placed before the object? 
 
 Ans. — If the glasses are very close to each other, as if there was only one glass, I feel the colour, 
 but it appears more faiut ; but if they are placed at a distance from each other, I do not feel the 
 object. 
 
 Qurs — .If coloured glasses are given to you, what sensation do you feel ? 
 
 Ans. — Mnch the same as when silks are put into my hand. 
 
 Ques. — How do you tell glass from stones ? 
 
 Ans. — The stones feel harder and more solid, and the glass softer. 
 
 Qurs — Did you not lately feel a seal which you declared was neither stone nor glass ? 
 
 Ans. — Yes : I did say so, and it felt softer than glass. 
 
 Ques. — In what way was the impression made upon the fingers, when you felt the figures re- 
 flected from the mirror through the plain glass ? 
 
 Ans. — I feel the figures as an image upon each finger. 
 
 Qnes. — How do figures, or letters, feel through the glass ? 
 
 Ans. — As if they were raised up to the finger. 
 
 Qurs. — How do they feel through the magnifying glass ? 
 
 Ans. — In a similar way, but larger. 
 
 Ques — How do they feel through the short sighted, or concave glass, similar to that which 
 Captain Hornby gave you ? 
 
 Ans. — The object is smaller in proportion, as it is held at a distance ; but placed upon the paper, 
 the letters feel the same as through common glass. 
 
 Ques .— What is the feeling you have of different metals ? 
 
 Ans. — I feel gold and silver to be more pleasant than brass, copper, or steel. 
 
 Ques. — What is the feeling you have of different coloured fluids ? 
 
 Ans. — Similar to my feeling of silks. 
 
 Qnes. — How do you know the difference between water and spirits of wine ? 
 
 A u. — T?y the spirits of wine feeling warmer than water. 
 
 Q i f.— How do you know that a person is putting out his hand, or when they nod to you ? 
 
 . / l —If any one puts out his hand upon entering, or going out of the room, I feel as if air, or 
 Wind, was wafted towards me, and I put out mine. If a nod is made pretty near to my face, a similar
 
 MISS MAHGARET M'AVOY. Ill 
 
 sensation is felt ; but if a finger be pointed at me, or a hand held before me in a very gentle manner, 
 I do not feel it, unless I am about to read or tell colours, and then I very soon tell if there be any 
 obstruction between the mouth, the nostrils, and the object. 
 
 Que*. — How do you calculate the height of persons entering the room ? 
 
 Ans. — By a feeling, as if less or more wind was wafted towards me, according to the height of 
 the person. 
 
 Ques. — Can you distinguish persons who have visited you since your blindness, or whom you 
 have known before ? 
 
 Ans. — Generally speaking, I can by the tread of the foot ; but almost certainly by the voice, 
 and sometimes by the breathing'. 
 
 Qucs. — If a person passes you quickly, do you feel any additional sensation ? 
 Ans. — Yes, I feel a greater sense of heat, according to the quickness with which a person 
 passes me, or comes into the room. 
 
 Ques. — Is your sense of feeling as strong upon any other part of the body as in the fingers, upon 
 the hand, or upon the cheek ? 
 
 Ans. — I' pon the foot, elbow, and leg, and upon the lip ; but it is not so sensible upon the foot, 
 or leg, or elbow, as it is upon the lip ; nor upon the lip, hand, or cheek, as in the fingers. 
 (Jnes. — Is your sense of hearing more acute than before your illnt X ? 
 Ans. — Much more acute. 
 Qius. — Is your sense of smell increased also ? 
 Ans. — It is very much increased. 
 Que*. — Canyon distinguish colours by smelling them ? 
 Ans. — No. 
 
 Quel. — Is your taste also more acute ? 
 Ans. — Very much more acute. 
 
 Qnrs. — Have vim preference toany particular sort of food ? 
 Ans. — I prefer those which an- sweetest. 
 Qnrs. — Do ynu prefer any particular kind ol meat ? 
 
 An s. — Yes: I prefer lamb to any other sort ol meat ; bal I nevei was food ol it befbrt mj illness,
 
 APPENDIX.
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Till', following letters from Mr. Latham, Mr. Jones, Mr. Hughes, anil Mr. Sandars, I have 
 thought it necessary to insert, as all of them, except that of Mr. Hughes, an meant as evidence 
 of Miss M'Avoy's imposition upon the public The letters of Mr. Latham have been ouufinued, 
 l>\ similar suppositions on the part of two of tin ladii *, who are in habits of intimacy with, aud of 
 one lady who is sister-in-law to, Mrs. Latham. They mentioned however, that Miss M' Lvov had 
 told some things behind her back ; and, upon the transaction b( ing aOuded to, win re tin confusion 
 occurred at the tea table, they told me, that after Mi a M' Ivoj bad poured out tin coffei regularly, 
 when uncovered, to each person, taking up the cups one after the other, and laying them down again, 
 afti r they bad been emptied, Miss H'Avoy b tin to pour the coffee into the first cup, upon 
 
 whicfi Mr. Latham requested that >-ln would allow a handken hit i to hi tii d over tin eyea, to whit h 
 >ln readily consented. She took the col r hand, and was going to take up th< I 
 
 cup, but sh< found it was removed, ami in lur agitation at finding they were playing a trick upon 
 her, she spilt a little of the coffee, and was no) able to pour out any more. 
 
 The public must judge of thest lettei will b< "i i nportance than mine. 
 
 Imay observt slso, that Mr. Latham's first letter v ii i icquence of a personal application I 
 detail of the ex | eriments he had D sde. The second lettei wu in ai u<r to ■ m 1 had written to request
 
 * A1TJRNDIX. 
 
 he would give me a more particular account of them. I wrote to him again requesting that he 
 would send it to tne, and if he had forgotten the experiments he had tried, I would send him a list 
 of queries which I had made out from an inquiry from another quarter, and which would be a mean 
 of bringing the circumstances to his recollection. I received no answer to this letter, but a few days 
 afterwards Mr. Latham called upon me, and stated that he recollected nothing more than he had 
 mentioned in his letters. I then requested that his apprentice, Mr. Jones, would state what had 
 occurred from his recollection. 
 
 My dear Sir, 
 
 Agreeably to promise, I write you some particulars respecting 
 Miss M'Avoy during the three days she was at my house, in the mouth of October, 1810, likewise 
 a few circumstances which attracted my attention prior to that time, having called on her a few 
 times in St. Paul's Square, and which in part gave rise to my being wishful she should come out 
 to Wavertree, where I should have an opportunity of more fully satisfying myself in such an extra- 
 ordinary matter. 
 
 A few weeks before Miss M'Avoy came out to my house, I called on her in St. Paul's .Square, 
 owing to an impression that had been made on my mind, from the assertion of many respectable 
 persons, that she could discern colours and read by the touch, although stone blind. I called on 
 her at least three or four times, and she occasionally read a word or two, likewise told me the 
 colours of some pieces of glass which they had in the house, with an handkerchief, or what they 
 termed gogglers, placed over the eyes. 1 came, in company of several ladies, with Miss M'Avoy 
 from Liverpool to Wavertree. She appeared to have as much advantage of light as any of us ; and 
 if any in company pointed a finger at her, she would do the same ; and although she never had been 
 in my house before, she would go about it or the garden without any difficulty. She frequently 
 assisted us at dinner table, the same at tea, would sew or thread the needle just as well as any other 
 person; but when taken into a room which I had made in total darkness, she never could make any 
 thing out, either in reading, discerning colours, or threading her needle ; and although she had 
 been assisting us ul tea only the minute before, in the light room, when completely blindfolded, in
 
 APPEVDIX. r, 
 
 attempting to assist at the same, she would upset all before her. From these, and many other 
 proofs during her stay at my house, I am firmly of opinion that, far from her being deprived of 
 sight, I believe her to be more than commonly acute, and that those means that I made use of prior 
 to her coming to Wavertree, (in attempting to blindfold her) were not effectually done. 
 I am, 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 Your's sincerely, 
 
 J. Latham. 
 Wavertree, 11 th July, 1817. 
 
 (A true copy. J. Grindrod.) 
 
 Wavertree, Monday Evening. 
 My dear Sir, 
 
 In haste I write to yon, in reply to the note I have this moment 
 received from yon. 1 should be happy in communicating any further particulars respecting Miss 
 M'Avoy, but do not at present recollect any worth notice. Should I or Mr. Jones, who is from 
 home at present, recollect any further experiments that were had recourse to during Miai M'Avoy's 
 stay at my house, you may depend upon being made acquainted with them. 
 
 I am, 
 
 Your's sincerely, 
 
 J. Latham 
 (A true copy. J. Grindrod.) 
 
 Sir, 
 
 lla\ iirj bt en favoured « ill) ■ penml of ton lxst communication 
 
 to Mr. Latham, in uhirh von sermnl thsirous that I shoold exproas, m Wlitillf j ihf rt-uli nf ilu 
 few experiment-- which I made with Mi-- M Vv>> whilit here; with jileaiare I tonrt .!. t ■ \ .»ur
 
 (i APPENDIX. 
 
 request. Some time ago, wheu at Wavertree, you proposed my writing nut a detail of the trials ; 
 but not having taken notes at the time, I acknowledged myself as being unable to recall to memory 
 the minutiae of all the examinations which I conducted, so as to give a correct and satisfactory 
 exposition. However, as you wish my account of the case which you are about to publish, in 
 compliance with your wishes I insert the particulars of two which I made, and pledge my honour 
 as to their correctness. It being a current report that Miss M'Avoy was able to read and describe 
 different colours solely by the agency of touch, (to satisfy my own mind) I went to a neighbouring 
 field, and collected a few leaves and some flowers of a different hue. Leave being obtained, 1 look 
 the flowers, concealed in my hand, and approached the chair where she sat, with her hands fixed 
 upon her back, the colours of which she unerringly described. Another trial was with a cross-barred 
 white and laylock handkerchief, which I presented to her in the same manner. Not being able to 
 describe it with that quickness that characterises her usual discrimination, she appeared embar- 
 rassed, and expressed a wish that sufficient time might be allowed. That, of course, was granted. 
 I then took a chair, and sat facing her. After turning the handkerchief repeatedly, (perhaps for 
 the lapse of ten minutes) she suddenly exclaimed, " I can't find it out ;" threw it on my knee, aud 
 turning her eyes down, which before were fixed upwards, and not covered by any bandage, she darted 
 a look at the handkerchief, took it quickly from me, and placing it behind her, exclaimed, " 1 have 
 been too hasty." It was then, and not before, that the colour of the handkerchief was defined. 
 Mr. L. having one morning, whilst prosecuting his experiments, borrowed a book from me called 
 " The History of England," wherein was a frontispiece, representing King John signing Magna 
 Charta, the figures in which were variously coloured, I was given to understand by him they were 
 correctly described. Having occasion to refer to some part in the book, I went up stairs the same 
 day, and enquired of a young lady, who was alone with Miss M'Avoy in the room, whether she knew 
 where the book had been placed ? She replied in the negative. Miss M'Avoy immediately got up, 
 and went directly to the spot where it had been placed by Mr. L. without her knowledge, and 
 singled out the very identical book, that had been placed between four others, on the chimney 
 piece. I feel fully convinced that she had received no previous intimation respecting the situation 
 where the book lay, as Mr. L. declared that he made no mention of it to any one. 
 
 This I record, not as a trial, but as a circumstance that I was an eye witness to, and which 
 afforded me a sufficient proof, and has ever since impressed upon my mind, that she was guided to 
 the place, not by the sense of touch, but by vision.
 
 APPENDIX. 7 
 
 I hare now, Sir, written all the facts that came under my own observation, nninflm Deed by 
 motives any other than the declaration of truth ; and if what I have related is at all interesting, they 
 are very much at yonr service. 
 
 With respect, I remain. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Your very obedt. Servant, 
 
 0. Jon i -. 
 September 1th, 1817. 
 
 (A true copy. J. Grindrod.) 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 The unbecoming conduct of Mr. Sandars to Mrs. Hughes and 
 Margaret, without application or permission to enter my house, induced me to write him a note, a 
 copy of which 1 annex, and am, 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 Your obedt. Servant, 
 
 Jas. Him.hi l, 
 St. Paul's Square, 2d October, 1817. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 1 mill the eminence of your situation in the commercial world, 
 I should have looked upon you incapable of an acl unbecoming the meaneal character. ^ our 
 intruding yourself into my house, and jour unmanly insolence to my wife, mo t* in\ marked disap- 
 probation ; and, lam sorry your conduit on that day has changed the ln^li o| n I had ol \ou. 
 
 Ja>ii ■ III i. Ill >. 
 St. Paul's Square, 26tA Sr/Uonber, 1817. 
 
 (A true copy. J. Grivdrod.)
 
 8 AH'ENDIX. 
 
 Liverpool, September fflth, 1817. 
 Sir, 
 
 I have received your letter of the 20>th, and regret that you 
 should feel cause to change the favourable opinion which you are pleased to express you once 
 entertained of my character. But, Sir, you are misinformed, I did not intrude myself into your 
 house; I obtained permission from your wife the morning of the day I entered it. As to the 
 charge of insolence, there you are wrong- also. Of course, you could not be present, therefore I 
 refer you to Dr. Jardine and Mr. Turmeau, to whom I have shewn your letter, and who have 
 expressed themselves in a manner very satisfactory to me ; and at the same time very kind and 
 considerate towards yourself. They will testify that your wife behaved in a very noisy and improper 
 manner. I was aware that the exposure I had made, placed her in rather an unenviable situation. 
 I believe I had compassion enough scarcely even to open my lips to her. Mr. Turmeau thinks I 
 never did. The Rev. John Yates and his family were present ; and I refer you to them also. To 
 Miss M'Avoy I behaved as gently as possible on account of her evidently weak state of health.* 
 Perhaps, however, the exclamation " She can see," which was made on the impulse of sudden 
 conviction, might be stated as an exception. I repeat my decided opinion, that your dauEchter-in- 
 law can see, and that too with her eyes, aye, and as well or better than I can. I would be the first 
 person to publish a contrary belief, if I had seen* any thing whatever to bring me to such a conclu- 
 sion. 
 
 There is but one way for you all to get out of the difficulty of your situation ; acknowledge 
 that her sight is restored to her eyes, and say as much about her previous blindness as you like. 
 To this alternative you must come at last, and then the public will enjoy the gratifying spectacle of 
 a patient saving the physician. 
 
 Not having, as far as Ii can recollect, the pleasure of knowing you, I beg to subscribe myself, 
 as is customary, Your obedient servant, 
 
 To Mr. Hughes. Jos. Sandars. 
 
 (A true copy. J. Grindrod.) 
 
 • As Dr. Jardine, Mr. Turmeau, and the Rev. John Yates and family, are referred to in this letter, the truth of 
 the above statement may be easily confirmed or contradicted. From- the observation which, I presume, :illudes to 
 me, I feci no inclination cither to confirm or reject any statement of Mr. Sandars,
 
 AVI'LSDIX. <J 
 
 Mr. Egerton Smith has expressed a wish that lh< Memoranda rcapectiog Ifiaa M Ivor, pub- 
 lished in the Liverpool Mercury of the 5th ultimo, should be inserted with the other letter* in the 
 Appendix, leal it should be supposed that he believed in the powers ascribed to hi r. It -i\. , mi 
 pleasure to comply with Mr. E. Smith's r< quest. I have no wish to gain a single proselyte to my 
 opinion, unless he be convinced of the fact ; but I can scarcely avoid thinking 1 , that tin proof Mr. 
 E. Smith has given of Miss M'Avoy's powers, in his own presence, and, at the time, to the apparent 
 conviction of his own mind, will have more weight with the public, than the bare assertion of nil 
 disbelief of them, founded upon the opinion of other individuals. 
 
 NEMOS \\n.A. 
 
 Some time in September, 1816, 1 accompanied Dr. Renwick, ou a professional \isil he paid to 
 Miss M'Avoy, at her residence in St. Paul's Square, on the east side. Sin was then between six- 
 teen and seventeen years of age ; of pleasing and ingenuous countenance, and apparently of amiable 
 and artless disposition. Her mother informed me, that in the preceding June, her daughter had 
 been attacked with hydrocephalus, or water in the head, togethtr with a paralytic affection on one 
 side, and a complication of other disorders which I forbear to enumerate, because 1 am wholly 
 ignorant of that part of the subject, vhich will no doubt be minutely detailed in the publication 
 alluded to. According to her own statement, corroborated by that of her mother, the h\ drocephalus 
 preceded, and, in their opinions, produced the blindness or gulia -eicna, under which she is sup- 
 posed to labour, hut which has been called in question, I understand, by some ol the professional 
 men who have visited her. 
 
 Her mother, however, declared that the light of the sun produced not the slightesl sen 
 
 effect upon her eyes : and some of the professional gentlemen who happened to he present at one 
 
 ol n>\ repeated visits, dec land that though sc slight contraction ol lb< pupil was perceptible 
 
 upon the approai h of a lighted candle to the eye, il was by no means mi. h as uniform) j occurs whi n 
 the visual organs perform the regular functions. 
 
 At inv first interview, [learned from herself, what I had indeed previous]) 1 toldbj oil 
 
 that she had pee nlly acquire d the facultj of distiagui I ■ 1 1 > u' . DOl Onlj thi Col ' 
 
 Q
 
 1'» WTIADIX. 
 
 hul thai she could actually dcrypbcr the forms ol word* of a printed hook ; and. indeed, 
 cuiilil read, if the phrase lhaj he permitted, with tolerable facility. To put these pretensions to the 
 teat, she permitted B shawl to be passed across the eyes in doable folds, in such a way that all pre- 
 seut were convinced that they could not, under similar circumstances, discern day from night. In 
 this state, a hook was placed before her, and opened indiscriminately ; when, to our extreme sur- 
 prise, she began to trace the words with her linger, and to repeat them correctly. She appeared to 
 recognize a short monosyllable by the simple contact of one linger ; but in ascertaining a lung word, 
 she placed the forefinger of her left hand on the beginning, whilst with that of her right hand, she 
 proceeded from the other extremity of the word ; and when the two fingers, by having traversed 
 over all the letters, came in contact with each other, she invariably and precisely ascertained the 
 word. By my watch I found that she read about thirty words in half a minute ; and it very natu- 
 rally occurred to us, that if, notwithstanding her supposed blindness and the double bandage over 
 her eyes, she could still see, she would have read much more rapidly, if her motive had been to 
 excite our astonishment. And here it may not be amiss to state, that there does not appear to be 
 any adequate motive for practising a delusion upon the public. Her situation in life is respectable ; 
 and her mother disavows any intention of ever exhibiting her daughter as a means of pecuniary 
 remuneration. Fifteen months have now elapsed since the period at which she laid claim to the 
 extraordinary faculty which has given rise to so much curiosity, astonishment, and perplexity ; 
 during which time the reputation of so wonderful a circumstance has subjected her to the fatigue 
 and inconvenience of daily and almost hourly visits. 
 
 Accordingly to her own statement, her powers of touch vary very materially with circum- 
 stances. When her hands are cold, she declares that the faculty is altogether lost ; and that it is ex- 
 hausted, also, by long and unremitted efforts ; that she considers the hours of from ten until twelve, 
 of each alternate day, the most favourable for her performance. Her pulse during the experiments, 
 has varied from lit) to 130 degrees. 
 
 One circumstance, which has created much doubt and suspicion, must not be concealed ; 
 which is, that if any substance, for instance, a book or a shawl, be interposed between her face and 
 the object she is investigating, she is much embarrassed, and frequently entirely baffled. She 
 explains this by saying, that it is necessary there should be an uninterrupted communication
 
 APPENDIX. n 
 
 between her fingers and her bit ath. I leave it to others to draw tin ir own conclusions upon this 
 point; as my object is not to establish any theory, or give cum n< v to :.n\ ii.\«t.ry, but to relate 
 the simple facts. I am, therefore, compelled to express my conviction that she can neither ascer- 
 tain colours, nor the words of a bock, in total darkness ; and, as manj person* very naturally will 
 ask, why has not such a test been proposed - (he reply mast be, that as the young lady is not the 
 subject of a public exhibition, and as an introduction to her is merely a matter of favour, it might 
 not be very courteous or delicate, under such circumstances, to make any proposal which teemed 
 to imply a suspicion that she was an impostor. 
 
 There are persons, however, who, giving her implu it credit for the reality of the extraordinary 
 powers to which she lays claim, will contend that it is altogether unfair to propose the test of total 
 darkness. Proceeding upon their belief that she actually ascertains colour, Sec. by the finger, or 
 
 that the visual organ is transferred to the touch ; still they say that li;;ht ! ntially lire f IIBI1II to 
 
 produce that effect upon the surface of the body felt, wlii< li I aableshl r to distinguish one shad.- from 
 another: they add, that as there is no such thing as colour in total darkness, it i> perfectly ridi- 
 culous to expect that she should ascertain the various shades without the presence of that light 
 which alone produces those shades. It is, according to their mode of considering the subject, as 
 absurd as to expi cl an i Hi cl without a cause 
 
 It has already bi > a ~tat> d, that, with the double bamlag< over In r . v . -. shi r» idsevi ral I 
 a book indiscriminately opened . as it was possibli that the letters of a printed book might leavt some 
 slight impression sensible lo an exquisite touch, I took from m\ |i>>< U> t booh an engraved French 
 assignat, which was hot-pressed and smooth a*- glass : she read the smallest lines ■ ■ nti bed in tins, 
 
 with the saun facility as th. piloted I k. A letter received by that day's post was pi "dun d, the 
 
 direction and post mark of which ibi immediately ind correct!] decyphered. 
 
 She als.i named the colour of the separate part- of tin dresses of tin persons iii company, as 
 well as various shades oi stained glass winch ». i. purpose]] brought 
 
 What I had aera at ray first interview was so extremely astonishing, .mri so fat 
 thing 1 had ever known or.read af the powet bt I to persona deprived- ol sight, thai I could
 
 1 I APPENDIX. 
 
 n]y account for it on the supposition that sin was n ■ «t blind, and that she had some secret mode of 
 discerning an object notwithstanding the bandage, through which I myself could not distinguish 
 night from day whi a it was applied to my own eyes. I therefore made the best apology I could for 
 visiting her house again the same evening, having previously prepared myself with several tests, 
 which I begged permission to submit to her examination, when the candle was withdrawn. Not the 
 slightest objection \\a^ offered to my proposal, and the candle was extinguished : her mother sta- 
 tioned herself before the fire, which was extremely low, and afforded so little light that I could not 
 have read one word of moderate sized print, if it had been brought almost in contact with the bars 
 of the grate. I then took from my pocket a small hook, the type of which was very little larger 
 than that of an ordinary newspaper ; observing at the time, that I was afraid the print was too 
 minute ; to which she replied, that her fingers were in excellent order, and that she had no doubt 
 but she should be able to make it out. The candle, as was before observed, had been extinguished ; 
 and her mother and myself were so stationed that had there been any light afforded by the fire, we 
 must have completely intercepted it. Miss M'Avoy sat iu the furthest part of the room, with her 
 back towards the grate, in such a situation that I could barely discern even the leaves of the book 
 which lay open before her ; the title of which she proceeded to read with complete success, with the 
 exception of one very minute word. 
 
 I then presented to her a small piece of smooth writing paper, which was ruled With horizontal 
 faint blue lines, between each of which were traced lines with a pen and black ink : there were also 
 perpendicular red lilies, between which were scored black lines. All these, with their direction and 
 order, she determined without any apparent difficulty. She also told correctly the colour of a variety 
 of pieces of cloth, procured immediately before at a draper's shop. 
 
 All the experiments hitherto desciibed.as well as those which follow, were performed by Miss ML 
 with the bandage before her eyes ; and as the shawl, which was usually applied to this purpose, 
 produced considerable warmth and inconvenience, a pair of what, in the opticians shops, are called 
 gogglt-rs, had been provided, which so completely excluded the light, that no person who tried them 
 could discern the difference between day and night, when they were fitted to the face. As these 
 gogglers have been generally used when Miss M. has exhibited her surprising talent, it is necessary 
 that the reader should have a correct idea of them. They are intended to be worn by travellers, to
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 J.. 
 
 guard the eyes against the wind or the dust, and consist of two glasses, aometimi 1 green, fitted into 
 abandage of leather, whirl, is passed horizontally across the bee, and ia tied with ribbooi round 
 the bark of the head. The gogglers provided for Miss M. instead ..I glasst i, ireri fitted up milk 
 opaque pasteboard, lined with paper, and not an aperture was left through which a single r.iv ol 
 light could penetrate. 
 
 Mr. Nirhol, a scientific gentleman, who was delivering a course of philosophical lectures in 
 Liverpool, having heard of this extraordinary property, applied to me to obtain an introduction to 
 MissM'Avoy, and I accompanied him to her house, along with Mr. James Smith, printer, of this 
 lawn. At this interview the experiments I have already detailed were repeated with CStnplefl 
 suceess, whilst the gogglers were applied. One part of the performance was s.> truly aM.uiishiiiir, 
 
 that I should almost hesitate to relate it, if those two gentlemen had not been pr.se roach fat 
 
 the truth. 1 had furnished myself with a set of stained landscapt glasses, osually termed ( LiikI. 
 Lorrain glasses. They were seven in number, contained in a frame. She ascertained the precise 
 Bhade of each correctly: one glass, however, appeared to embarrass her, and after considei 
 scrutiny, she said it was not black, nor dark-blue, nor dark-brown ; but she though) it was ., reri 
 very deep crimson. We did not know whether her conjecture was com • I 01 Dot, ^ an conld BOt 
 ourselves ascertain tin shade. By reflected light it appeared to us to be perfectly black; inr was 
 the flame of the fire, which was stirred for the occasion, visible through il in the faintest .!• -r. .. 
 \\ e had abandoned all expectation of di termining this point, when the sun suddenlj ninr^.i irom 
 behind the clouds ; andbj that test, and that alone, were we enabled to discover that slu ».is,,. r - 
 rect, as we could just discern the solar image "i a verj deep crimson. It has been said, and with 
 sunn plausibility, that thi> must have been a bold guess upon her part ; if not, it will puzzle cur 
 
 physiologists to explain, how a person reputed to I" blind, «itli an opaque bandage al ret h«r 
 
 eyes, could declare the colour of a glass, which persona in full enjoyment "I their eyesight, and 
 without anj such obstacles, could not discern by any other light than thai ol the meridian s,m ! 
 
 At this meet i iij; we wc re informed that Mi^s M'Avoy bad recentlj found out thai tins extraor- 
 dinan faculty was not confined to her fii ad that 'she conld also distinguish tht < t>l<>ui ..f au 
 
 object which was brought into contact with the back of her bands. This «>- n hatelj n i 
 
 tin subject of experiment bj Mr. Nicbol, who n livelj applied several objects which In had
 
 1 J, APriCNDIX. 
 
 with liini to that part of the hand ; in placing which, he used so much precaution, that I could not 
 see them myself, although my eyes were fixed upon his hands. She was completely successful also 
 upon this occasion. 
 
 I have now given a faithful narrative of what I have actually witnessed, and what has been the 
 subject of notoriety and astonishment probably to thousands in this town ; and I shall only trespass 
 further upon the public patience, whilst I briefly state what has been related to me by several pro- 
 fessional gentlemen of the town, as the result of thtir experiments, since the time when 1 discontinued 
 my visits, for a reason which candour obliges me not to conceal, although I am loath to say any 
 thing which might wound the sensibility of an individual who has afforded me such amusement, and 
 uniformly received me with the utmost affability and politeness. I have never believed it possible 
 that all the experiments I have witnessed were performed by the simple medium of touch ; and 
 though I admit with our master poet, that " there are more things 'twi.rt heaven and earth than 
 our philosophy dreams of," yet I could never divest myself of the impression that the eye was in 
 some way or other concerned in these mysteries. It was a delicate point, as I before observed, to 
 scrutinize too closely into all the minutix of a performance which was gratuitous, and pulitely con- 
 ceded to a stranger in her own house, and which, however it can be explained, is abundantly won- 
 derful. As I could not, however, like some of my friends, become a proselyte to these miracles, 
 I did not think proper any longer to harass her with an impertinent and a hopeless curiosity. 
 She had begun to assume powers of a more extraordinary character than any I have described, 
 and by proving too much, she defeated her own object, at least in my imperfect estimation. 
 
 I had seen her seven or eight times in the course of a very few weeks, previous to my declining 
 my visits ; but still continued to hear of her, from those whose faith had survived mine, and is as 
 lively to the full at this moment as it was fifteen months ago. From these, her truly faithful fol- 
 lowers, 1 heard that the experiments I have detailed, and many others had been repeated, with the 
 boiled whites of eggs fixed upon the eyes ; and, also, that gold beater's skin had been used for the 
 same purpose. She had also begun to tell the hour aud minute through the watch glass, without 
 opening the case ! Rut the most wonderful thing of all, and which forms an appropriate climax to 
 the other mysteries, was the newly acquired power of ascertaining objects at a distance, with her 
 back towards them ; and by simply stretching out the tiugers in the direction of such objects ! I
 
 APENDIX. 15 
 
 have heard it gravely asserted, and corroborated bj herself in an interview on Monday last, that she 
 has thus from her parlour window identified several persons passing through St, Paul's church yard, 
 and declared the colour of their dress, &cc. !!! 
 
 In the preceding protracted, but faithful narrative, it has been my object to detail facts rather 
 than to indulge in theories. 
 
 Whatever contrariety of opinions may prevail ou this point amongst true believers or sceptics, 
 there are two conclusions, to one of which they cannot withhold their assent : — 
 
 In st. Either Miss M'Avoy, although blind, possesses the faculty of distinguishing objectsand 
 colours by the touch, or some other means than the eyes ;— or, 
 
 Secondly, Miss M'Avoy, reputed to be blind, and with a bandage over her eyes, through which 
 no other person can see ; in a place, also, so dark that others can distinguish little or nothing, can 
 see better than any other person. 
 
 Leaving to physiologists the further investigation of this extraordinary case, I shall, for the 
 present, conclude, by affixing to the preceding statements my name at full length, which I conceive 
 to be indispensable in the present instance. 
 
 (Signed) EGERTON SMITH. 
 
 Liverpool, September 2, 1817. 
 
 1 I N 1 S. 
 
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