vated by my diet,
which, in "boarding around," was of course not the best.

The eruption not only affected my body and reached to the extremities,
but was accompanied by an itching so severe that I was occasionally
compelled to lie awake all night. My general strength at last began to
give way under it, and I sought the advice of our family physician.

He advised me to use, as a wash to the irritated and irritable surface,
a weak solution of corrosive sublimate. I hesitated; especially as I
believed it to be, with him, an experiment. But on his repeated
assurance, that if I would take special care of myself and avoid taking
cold, there was no danger, I waived my objections, and proceeded to
carry out his plan.

The solution was applied, accordingly, to the letter of the doctor's
directions. For many days no change appeared, either favorable or
adverse. At length a most distressing headache came on and remained. My
sufferings became so severe that I was obliged to postpone my school
and return to my father's house.

On the road, I observed that an eruption of a peculiar kind had
appeared, particularly about the forehead, accompanied with small
blisters. It was not here that I had applied the solution, but on the
arms, chest, and lower limbs. Of course the corrosive sublimate, if at
all operative, had affected me through the medium of the circulation and
not by direct contact.

Our physician came, pronounced the disease erysipelas, and without
saying a word about the cause, prescribed; and I followed out carefully
his prescription. But the disease had its course in spite of us both,
and was very severe. It took away my sleep entirely for a day or two. It
proved a means of removing the hair from one side of my head, and of so
injuring the skin that it never grew again. Indeed, gangrene or
mortification had actually commenced at several points. Suddenly,
however, the pain and inflammation subsided, and I recovered.

Now my physician never said that I was poisoned by the corrosive
sublimate, probably for the two following reasons: 1, I never made the
inquiry. 2, He would probably have ascribed the disease to taking cold
rather than to the mercury, had I inquired. I do not believe I took
cold, however. How it came to affect me so unfavorably I never knew with
certainty; but that it was the medicine that did the mischief I never
for one moment doubted. I suppose it was absorbed; but of the manner of
its introduction to