DEP/DUA/1/12/16 (Transcript version)

Peggy Turnbull

(1776-1777)

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Peggy Turnbull.

This patient but short time under care & case affords room but for few remarks.

Made applic to us in conseq. of fit of hysteric kind with which attackd some days before

This according to her acct first attack of the kind to which had been subj.

But had been affectd with sever. sympt of longer duration.

Partic oppress about praecord, nausea flatulen & almost const. headach.

These sympt. had cont for about space of six months.

And in her own opin to be attrib to fright fright to which at that time subjected.

Influence of passions on living system unquest very great.

Yet must own that consid such an [assert] as present, rarely if ever to arise from them

And was here disposed to ascribe these as well as fit to diff. cause.

Patient a female of full & seemingly vigor habit had already arrivd at nearly at 19^th year of age.

And as we were informd had never had any menstr. discharge.

With by much greatr part of [Womn] [Mens.] even in this country known to take place at earlier date.

And when wanting freq. to induce such sympt as here occurrd.

Was therefore I own disp. to referr all affection to this cause.

And to consider case as [Amenorrhea].

In this view was I own disposed to hope for fav. termin.

How far however has already taken place have not been able to learn.

As patient having no recurren of fits thought it unnecess to cont. attend here.

And her idea of disease diff from what we entertained

In treatment of this case princip [appreh.] were from recurrence of fits.

And whatever might be cause of these imagind that would be best counteractd by use of an antispasm.

As most powerful of this tribe prescribd use of aether.

But while under this med no return of fits, still cont to be affected with wind in bowels, & bound state of belly.

Both these sympt hoped to obviate by conjunction of Tinct. Foetid & Elix of [Aloes].

But at same time lookd for radic cure only from inducing menst. disch.

And in pres. inst did not expect this without more powerful remed.

But in such an inst as pres. reckon it first necess to be satisfied that no cause of obst. from config of parts.

For as had occas to observe in treating of Ammen in practic course where depends on imperfor hymen every emmen. attended with bad affect.

To be satisf of this partic therfore desired to have some convers with mother that prop. exam might be made.

In this conversat howevr was informed by mother that with respect to menst. [flux] a peculiarity in her family.

That she herself had not menst till 22d year of age.

And that with two other daughters older than our patient had not appeard till nearly same time.

She seemd to have [little] that with this girl would appear about same time.

Can be no doubt question that with some appear earlier than with others.

But how far pres. story well founded, will not pretend to say.

On suppos however that induct of menst disch not here requisite, saw no symptom for which necess. for her to cont. attend.

Thought it sufficient therfore to advise her to return in case of any second attack of fit.

And as since that have heard nothing of her presum. that this has not been the case.

And whether menst. disch will or will not appear at age mother suspects is a question which cannot yet be determ for some years to come.