DEP/DUA/1/12/03 (Transcript version)

Mary Dods

(1776-1777)

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Next patient in order of admiss.

Mary Dods

In this case sympt few & affection evid simple.

Yet nature not altog. with diffic.

Disease even at pres. is princip if not entirely situated in left mamma

And here affect equally evid both to sight & touch.

Manif. indurated tumour can be distin felt.

And although surface sometimes ulcer. sometimes not yet skin never [recov]. natural appear.

Here have not indeed every sympt usually attending cancer.

Yet strong probab. that affection rather of this kind than that now to be reckond schirrus.

Of latter strong Cancerous Nat some probab. from dispos. to ulcerated condit.

Corrob. by shooting pains with which patient freq. affected.

Still more by tumour under [axilla]

For this last circum may be consid as demonst of absorpt from breast.

And that too of a matter which in other glands would prod. simil affect.

With this sentim cannot easily in pres. case pronounce fav. prognos.

For may unquest reckon cancer among most danger. affections.

Is partic one of those comp. with which no ground to hope for natural term in recov.

And if cure to be affected must be in great meas. if not entirety work of art.

Yet perhaps even with best assist. is recov. in no case to be dep. on.

Nor on othr hand can any be consid as so desperate as to preclude all trials.

And is merely with such a view that have taken pres. patient under care.

In such cases as pres. cure to be expected only on one of two princip.

Either by remov diseased [parts]

Or by restoring to sound state.

Where complete remov can be affectd have no doubt in consid it as pref. method

Am for my own part convinced that affords not only most certain exped but also most certain cure.

And am persuaded that many have fallen victims to cancer from its having been neglected.

Some indeed & those too of no inconsid note enemies to operat in very case of cancer.

And were we acquainted with any med effect restoring sound state to parts would have no hesit in agreeing with them.

Observd & indeed with justice that many on whom operat performd with success afterwards die of cancr.

And that too in very great agony.

But to ascribe either return of cancer or pain to operat a very erron mode of reasoning.

The allowing cancr to remain at one [place] no defence against recurring at affecting anoth.

On contrary from this circum [greater] probab. of happening.

Hence no evil with justice to be ascribd to remov.

And when find a patient affected with cancer from whom one formerly extrip. only argues that by local operat virus cannot be eradicated from the system.

Which prob. even very gen. affect of operat being delayd.

And if some cases where patient has had recurr of cancer others where this has not happened.

In some cases then may be consid as means of complete cure.

In others, & these even worst, where [situn] such as to admitt of operat may at least be means of remov. urgent sympt. & protract life of patient sometimes for many years.

From all these consid then must own that am an advoc for operat in this compl.

And after the cases lately pub. in [supprt] of this practice by late Mr Hill of Dumfries, very few I appreh who have [serious] consid them will doubt [propriety] of it

And as he observes of himself were it my fate to be affected with cancr would not delay operat single hour in hopes of cure by other means.

On these prin. then had no hesit in recommending it to this patient, to think of operat & to consult surgeons with respect to it

Found her howevr totally averse to all thoughts of it.

And must here observe that is an operat attended with such danger that should reckon it improp to go any farther than to give opin.

As therefore pres. patient, while resolvd against this, desirous of employing any other mode of cure resolv at least to give trial to such.

And at least to attempt what could be done with view of restor diseasd part to sound state.

This I appreh to be affected by restoring free circulat through the part, and natural action of vessels.

For on obstruct & vitiated action suppos the general of what has been calld cancr virus as well as all other sympt. to depend

Consid this as no unfav. opport. for trying how far these ends could be obt by means of electricit.

A practice which had before occas to mention lately suggested by Dr Eason, a surgeon in the army.

And which he led to prop from an accid recov. happening to a lady in Ireland, lab. under such a compl. in conseq. of a stroke from lightning.

This history as related by him will find in a late number of the Med. Com.

Was with pres. patient therfore intent to persist in use of this remed for consid time

And to carry it to as great height as patient could easily bear it.

At first although even to slight degree seemd to promise some advant.

And she herself inclind to imagine that both mitig pain & dimin tumour.

With view therfore of augm. these advan. ordered both number & sever. of shocks to be encreased.

Now howevr am I own somwhat [doubtful] how far this direct proper.

For aftr this change pains returned with encreasd sever. & tumour again converted into ulcerated state.

Do not think it clear that these alter the affect of electricity.

Yet where ground for suspecting this [daret] not order contin.

Especially as patient herself becam averse to it.

On this acct. therfore have at least for pres. discont. trial.

And put her on course of cicuta.

From which cannot help thinking that in some cases have seen very good affect.

If therfore any appar. advant shall wish to persist in use.

And after prop. trial farther treatment to be regul. by circum.

Must howevr conclude as have [alw] said that neither from this nor any other med have high expectat.