DEP/DUA/1/30/29 (Normalised version)

John McLearan

(1782-1783)

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XII

John McLearan at 43. complains of violent pain in the left eye & whole left side of the head also of the muscles of the back of the neck on the left side

He sleeps very ill from the severity of the pain. On stooping he is sometimes affected with Vertigo. He has also a pain in the left haunch which strikes down the leg in the course of the Sciatic nerve. He has frequently a spasmodic twitch on his right side which he attributes to wind. His pain frequently shifts its place but is most common under the short ribs.

Pulse about sixty feeble. Tongue white but moist. Belly rather costive appetite & thirst natural.

He was admitted a patient in June for complaints of the same kind. But at that time he complained of a pain in his back & now & then a difficulty in passing his urine, which symptoms are now entirely gone. He was first seized with the affection of his head about a year ago, from exposure to cold at church after cutting his hair. He was soon dismissed free from all his complaints by the use of the Foetid pills with aloes.

They have lately returned on him after exposure to cold at harvest work. He has formerly been addicted to spirituous liquors but at present lives temperately. He has at different times been subject to colic pains.

Rx Extr Hyosciam gr XII

Sapon. Hisp Jii M. f. mas divid in pil XII cap. pil. i. om. m. & vesp.

30 Has taken the pills regularly but without any alleviation of the pain & he sleeps very ill during the night.

Cont. Pil. ex Hyosciam nec non applic. vesic. [muchae].

December 7. Has taken the pills regularly the blister rose well & has discharged considerably. His pains are upon the whole less severe. He is still unable to lie on the left side, he sleeps however somewhat better than he had done for some time past. Pulse small & quick, appetite pretty good.

Belly regular.

Cont. Pil. u. a. & Habeat Bals. Anod. ℥ ii. illin paux. p. dol. bis [terve] indies. F. fontic ope Ungt. Epispast.

13. Headache considerably diminished & he now sleeps tolerably well in the night which has not been the case for four months past.

But he is still unable to lie on the left side of his head. The issue discharges freely. He is not sensible of any particular operation from the pills but thinks that the Balsam diminishes his pain.

Interm. Pil. ex Hyosciam Cont. Bals. Anod & Fontic.

21 There is but little discharge from the issue. But his headache continues much easier, although he is still unable to lie on the affected side. Pulse, appetite & belly natural.

Cont. Bals. Anod & Fontic u. a. & Cap. bis indies

Pulv. Valer. Sylv. ℥p.

28. Headache continues much easier.

Interm Bals Anod. Cont Pulv. Valer. & Fontic u. a.

January 4 Continues free from his headache. Let him be dismissed.