DEP/DUA/1/47/22 (Normalised version)

Robert Gibbs

1789

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No16 December. 12^th 1789.

Robert Gibbs at 27, a mason complains of an intense pain extending from the middle of the forehead in the direction of the sagittal suture, to the Occiput. The joints of his lower extremities are stiff & painful & his left ankle is swelled & ulcerated. The pain of his head is attended with giddiness & his sight is much impaired. He is also affected with pain & flatulence in the alimentary canal, which are relieved by the discharge of wind.

Pulse 74 & weak, Tongue white, Belly natural, Appetite tolerable & he sleeps well but perspires constantly during the night.

The pain of his head first [attacked] him suddenly when at his work about a year ago, & in May last he had two fits during which he was insensible for upwards of two hours. The affection of his sight has continued for about six weeks.

He was in the Infirmary¹ for these complaints in July last & took some medicines from which he found no relief. He left it by his own desire & has since taken some powders for fits. He has had no recurrence of the fits since May, but his headache continues as severe as ever.

Cap. Pil. ex Hyosciam gr V

om. m. & vesp. nec non sumat

ter de die Pulv. Valer. Sylv. ʒ i.

19

Has taken his medicines regularly without any inconvenience, & thought himself for a few days somewhat relieved, but since that he has been at times, much distressed with palpitation, & with an involuntary contraction both in his hands & feet. He has also been repeatedly affected with cold sweats over his inferior extremities.

Cont. Med. u. a. sed cap.

Pil. ex Hyosciam gr X. om. m. & o

26.

Has continued his medicines; without any inconvenience, he still complains of the pain in his head & ankles. But thinks himself in other respects considerably easier.

Cont. Med. u. a.

January 2^d 1790

The pain in his head & ankles continue nearly as before, & the swelling on the right ankle is considerably increased. But in other respects he is rather easier.

Cont. Med. u. a.

9^th

Had considerable uneasiness in the beginning of the week, from a bound state of his belly, & difficulty in the discharge of urine. But his headache continues easier, his sight improved, & the pains & swelling of his ankles, somewhat diminished.

Cont. Med. u. a.

16

Has had rather more of his headache for two days past. But his belly is now rather loose, & the pain of his ankles continues easier

Cont. Med. u. a.

23

Was very easy in the beginning of the week, but had a severe return of headache on Thursday last, & has since been much affected, both with diminished vision & tinnitus aurium. Intern Pulv Valer. & cap. Pil. ex Hyosciam gr X ter de die.

30

Had severe headache for some days last week; but he is at present free from all his other symptoms.

Cont. Pil u. a.

February 6^th

Continues almost entirely free from all his former symptoms; but complains a little of pain of his back.

Cont. Pil ex Hyosciam. u. a.

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Explanatory notes:

1) The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, established in 1729.