DEP/DUA/1/12/13 (Transcript version)

Jean Buchanan

(1776-1777)

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To which I advised her as informd me that her compl. had arisen to such height as to render her incap of cont in any degree her usual work.

Jean Buchanan.

A patient in some respects in same situat with last.

Has now left off attend. here, with inten as told me when saw her last of applyin for admiss into Royal Infirm.

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And what has been fate of applic have not heard.

Is therefore with some diffid that can now venture to say any thing with regard to her disease

As future cond. & course of compl. may have shewn it very diff from what we suspected.

Shall howevr without scruple give sentim & doubts respecting affect when this patient under our care.

Princip ailments of which she compl. affect of head & of alim canal

Should here have had little scruple in referring former to latter as its cause

But anoth circum in case giving some suspicion with regard to both.

Patient also informd affected with irreg. of menses.

Often are told stopt for three months together

And when did appear in very small quantity.

No doubt that morbid affect in state of menstruat often cause of disease with young woman about 17 or 18 years of age.

But at same time obstruct of menses at that period often conseq. of pregnancy.

And then at least for some time nearly same sympt as when proceeds from other causes.

Often therfore either unwilling to believe themselves pregn or if so desire of getting quit of it a child.

And even where total obst, in order to conceal circum better, will pretend that have at times a scanty disch.

In all such cases therefore is the business of a practit to act with utmost caution.

Do not pretend to say that pres patient really with child.

At same time no certain evid of contrary.

All sympt such as might have attended the pregn. state.

And suppos acct of patient true cure must have been directed to restorat of [menses]

For if had been confid of veracity should have judged every other part of compl. to have [preceded] from that [cause]

Neithr consid headach nor affect of alim canal as idiopath part of disease.

With these doubts & diff will not [imagine] that should risk any progn.

Especially as patient now no longer under care

Although however should here have been shy with regard to effect measures for radic cure, yet might have done something with view of obviating sympt.

And was with such intent that practice while under our care totally conducted.

Was cheifly with view to wind on stom that prescribd mixture with Tinct Arom

Which from action as stim might I hoped operate as carmin.

Does not seem howevr to have been fully prod. of desird affect.

For at next report informd that both unease at stom & wind cont.

Were farther informd that Menses had appeard

And had cont. only but for two days.

With view to these howevr for reasons already mentiond avoided taking any meas.

But with cont of formr med. ordered a camphor bolus every night.

Not howevr to such extent that could look for any great affect from it.

And was not disposed to attrib to it encrease which headach suffered for two days after began use.

In this situat was affected with pain of left side, for which ordered friction with volat linim.

But [too] days after calld upon me with pain she said so much [encreased] as to prev. her from working

In this situat. thought it best plan to recommend it to her to apply for adm into Royal Infir.

And as have not [more] heard of her suppose that she may have follwd my advice.