DEP/DUA/1/11/01 (Transcript version)

Daniel Forbes

(1776-1777)

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Dan Forbes.

A Patient whom some may rememb. had formerly occas to treat in R. Infir.

Then [offered] some observat on nature of disease.

And made sever. fruitless attempts to cure

Am now very appreh. that shall not at pres. be more fortunate.

For must own that still retain same sentim as formerly.

And am very doubtful respecting nature of disease

Were we to affix any partic name would call it Vertigo.

And this indeed adopted as Genus by most nosol.

But perhaps to be consid rather as sympt than properly a disease.

Tempor. vertigo freq. conseq. of many diff causes.

Sometimes from plethor condit at other times from affections of stomach or like

Is very gen if not in every case effect of inordin motion of muscles of eye.

Bodies seem to move in conseq of [chang] of place of object on retina.

And this will equally believe to happn whether body really in motion or whether eye moved without being sensib of it.

This last take to be case with our patient.

And from long contin must necess. [conj.] it to be effect of some fixed cause

Opin I own is that depends on some tendency to Paral.

This more probab. from sight being somewhat impaired.

Without at same time any obvious lesion of eye

May farther remark that such vertigo with headach often forerunner of [Amaur.]

And am I own suspicious that will yet termin in this manner in pres. case

Would fain hope howevr that will at least have slow progress.

And thus shall thus have at least opport. of trying what aid can be derived from med.

Yet must own that after what already done expect. by no means sanguine.

Appreh. patient to have even better chance from accid changes of syst. than from med aid.

And accordingly when formerly under care entertaind hopes that might be cured by erysip of head which superveend.

In this however event shewed that expectat ill grounded.

And after recov. from that affect [contind] in same state as before.

Hence I own now less expectat from any succeeding affect.

Well known howevr that as febrile affect. will sometimes [induce] so will often carry off paral in very [illegible] mannr.

Is however at present our business to try what can be effected by other means.

Had occas. as have already observd to treat this patient during last [sum] for very consid time.

Then tried with him great variety of diff med.

Some of them on princip. already mentiond others on more [empyr.] footing.

But prin of Stimul. Antisp & Tonic kind.

Among others then [prescrd] electricity.

But from diff. accid partic from bad [order] of machine in hospit had not opport of giving it full trial.

And is princip with view to this that have at pres. taken patient under [care].

From best attested accts would appear that electricity has often succeeded by persev

And on this account shall probab. be sole remed which will employ with pres. patient if [should] contin with us for some months to come.

At least any othr remedy used either be [from] accid occurr or as [mere] placebo