DEP/DUA/1/26/08 (Normalised version)

Agnes Reid

(1780)

---

Agnes Reid.

Has not attended since treatment begun

Thus hardly object of practice.

Hence almost unnecessary to say anything.

Especially as not improbable that during course occasion to treat other patients subjected to same disease

May however remark that while affection very common often also very obstinate.

For here little doubt in asserting that disease Leucorrhoea or Fluor Albus.

Between this indeed & Gonorrhoea distinction often extremely difficult.

Particularly when occurs with young women & of suspicious character.

Here however patient a married woman

And from single circumstance of husband remaining free from it while she subjected to it for several months sufficient grounds for diagnosis.

Besides this marked also by absence of symptoms the common attendants of Gonorrhoea as ardor urinae etc.

And by presence of those seldom appearing in Gonorrhoea but common in Leucorrhoea.

Such for example as pain & weakness of back & want of appetite.

But still more regular increase of discharge at stated periods.

For according to history of case much greater immediately after menstrual discharge than at other times.

This circumstance besides distinguishing Leucorrhoea from Gonorrhoea points out also another particular.

That discharge viz more from uterine vessels than those of Vagina.

For from both sources discharge may I apprehend arise.

And from same circumstances besides this another [peculiarity] also to be explained which sometimes takes place in the [disease]

viz Continuation of affection in some cases during pregnancy while in others then ceases.

But without entering into these, may observe that from circumstances mentioned sufficient evidence that this patients disease Leucorrhoea

And although affection in general obstinate yet here circumstances by no means unfavourable.

Had continued only for short space of time

Happened in habit not exhausted [debilitated] or [predisposed] to affection.

And occurred at late period of life when from menstrual flux [disappearing] reason to hope that natural cure of this affection also.

On these grounds then hoped that by aid of proper medicine might be able if not entirely to remove at least to alleviate this patients complaint.

For this however from desertion of patient opportunity was not afforded us

With regard to practice may only observe that remedy which meant to have first tried in this case [Lem] [Wa]

An article which in my own practice have of late frequently employed in this affection

And I think with advantage.

Although must at same time allow, that in one case in particular, reason to apprehend that product of great distress to patient, from suddenly checking discharge.

From this therefore always necessary to begin use in cautious manner.

And accordingly here ordered only to extent of gill¹ in day.

Since first prescribed however, have seen nothing more of patient.

And thus no opportunity of learning anything of effects.

Observations on these then, as well as conjectures as to mode of operation more properly mentioned under some other [case] if again occasion to employ it in this disease during present course.

---

Explanatory notes:

1) Also written as jill. A unit of measurement for volume equal to a quarter of a pint.