DEP/DUA/1/12/10 (Transcript version)

Janet Lyon

(1776-1777)

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Janet Lyon.

A case in which many sympt.

Cannot however as in last inst consider it to be one in which complic of diseases.

For appreh. that among all a manif. connexion

And that whole to be consid as sympt of one disease.

Princip. compl. in this case affect of the alim canal

And in these have almost every charac of Dyspepsia.

Nausea, vomiting inflation, &e.

And these, at same time, as commonly case in Dyspepsia attended with bound belly.

Can be little doubt therefore in pronouncing patient to labour under that affect.

And although headach not a const. sympt of dyspep. yet freq. an attend.

And would conclude that affect in pres instance not an idiopath disease but merely sympt of stomach compl.

But besides headach patient also affected with some other sympt less freq. attending [Dyspepsia]

And these too the attendents of other diseases most nearly resembling it.

Some for ex as sense of ball rising to the throat impeding respirat, sympt of hyster.

Others as palpit & watchfulness often attend of hypochondriasis.

Patient however I appreh. cannot be said to be affected with either one or other of these comp.

Am far, as have already oftener than once observd, from consid glob. hyster as pathog of Hysteria.

And here othr charact. partic fits, state of mind &e wanting.

Same also may be observd with respect to hypochondriasis.

Patient by no means of that dispond. dispos attend this affect.

Nor has she any partic [marks] indicating torpid habit.

Would conclude therfore both one & other merly sympt of Dyspepsia.

And from pres. of globus may even I imagine inferr that atonia of stom in dyspn connected rather with state of irritab. than torpor.

This then idea of disease of pres. patient

How far conject well founded in ascribing it to hard labour will not say.

May at least however observe that not to be consid as a common cause of this affect.

At same time that by hard labour alone state may be induced can admit of no doubt.

And may affect stomach as well as any other part.

At least therfore some ground for presum that not mistaken

And on that suppos. may serve at least to give greater expectat in prognosis.

As patient may probab. again avoid [act] of same cause, as supporting compl.

Yet may observe that sympt have already gone to very consid height.

And not to be reckond in recent state.

For have already cont. for space of two years.

And well known that when takes root often obstinate.

Especially with one so far advanced in life as pres. patient

Have here however some better chance from not having already used med.

And from what we have seen of her would not seem disp to take [my] med.

For since first application has never again returnd.

Shall howevr state briefly princip on which plan of cure here begin.

And which mean to cont. if patient [shall] again return to us.

In this case great obj. unquest is to restore proper tone of stomach & alim canal.

To be affected by tonics either to system in general or stomach in partic.

This however if ever to be affected must require some time.

Meanwhile a matter of no inconsid conseq. to obviate urgent sympt of patient.

And of these not least distressing are flatul & constipat.

While at same time from these probab. that others depend arise.

Reckon it therfore of no less conseq to [observ] such affect. than to attempt radic cure.

With these intent put patient on use of Pil. Gum. & Tinct. Cardam.

First as antisp & carmin.

Second as stimul & tonic to stomach

While at same time hoped that [formr] might have some inf. as keeping belly [easy]

Failing these should probab. have had recourse to other artic of nearly same powers.

Presum. that something farther necess. with view of moving belly.

And with this intent. may have had recourse to aloetics.

As tonics to stomach might employ Colombo root, Peruv. bark or like.

But with this patient perhaps unnecess to suggest many plans.

As presumpt. that as has already lab. under compl. now mentiond for some years without med. may not think of any thing farther.