DEP/DUA/1/18/10 (Transcript version)

Benny Wood

(1778-1779)

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Benny Wood.

With case of this patient a good deall diffic from sever circum.

And princip whether should consider all sympt to which subj as proceeding from one cause.

Or whether should view diff parts of affect as unconnected.

Most distress. compl. to which is subj viol pain in head.

Not however generally extended over it but having seat espec. at partic part.

That is over right Eye brow.

This pain returns with great sever. not at regual intervals but after remiss. sometimes for consid length of time.

And during severit accomp. also with other sympt partic affect of alim canal.

Is not only attacked with vomiting but matter vomited, has sometimes sour sometimes bitter taste.

From mere sympt alone then, here occurrs as diffic whether headach idiopath or sympt.

That pain of head & affect of alim canal somehow connected can hardly be doubted when consider that so unif [cone] of each other.

Yet may be quest whether vomiting from headach or headach affect of state of stom.

Can be no doubt that headach often exists as idiop affect.

That is cause really seated in place to which pain referd.

And equally certain that from viol pain at any part, vomiting & other affect of stom will often arise.

But if this sometimes the case reverse still more common.

And from disordered state of stomach viol pains referred to head ever day obs. to be induced.

Here then some diff in saying which to be consid as chief or princip affect.

But besides this from anoth circum in case a diffic no less consid arises.

Suppos affect of stomach prim [diseas] to what cause to referr it.

Affect of alim canal from many diff sources.

Sometimes seated in stomach sometimes in other parts.

And from sympt under which appear cannot always inferr seat.

In some cases stomach compl. from affect of intest canal

In others looseness Diarrh from affect of stom.

But if varieties from seat no less from nature of affect.

In some cases effect of weakend tone or pecul irritab.

In others effect of irritat from secret matters

And in third case this irrit will [proceed] from [extern] matters.

Ex in condit of [ingesta] acid gener. from it, worms or like

Among all these causes nothing in pres. case which can lead us to certain determin.

Yet of circum now ment. one at least of pres of which have evid.

That is exist of worms.

For some time past at least patient has obs. disch of living worms by stool.

And what has brought for our examin can leave no room to doubt, that there is pres in alim canal a worm of that kind which has had name of Tenia.

This which has also name of flatt worm from shape, & of solit worm from being but seldom more than one in intest at a time, of all others the most obstin.

Respect this anim many partic not yet ascertaind.

And among others doubted whether really one anim or collect of great number joind togeth.

No quest that consist of great numb of joints.

And that each of these can separ from the others enjoy life

Farther know that each separ joint poss. tenac by which capab of attach itself to any other body.

And that orif in sides from which can derive nourish.

But much disp whether whole taken togeth one common head.

This opin contended for by [Tyson] [Rede] & others.

But denied by lattr & more accur obs. partic by Linnaeus.

This controv howevr but of little conseq. in pract.

A quest of more import respect spec

No doubt that sever diff species which have gener appear. already describ.

In syst of Mr Linnaeus gives act of four all of which found prin in intest of animals.

When exist there more diffic of removal than any other worms.

But all not equally diffic.

This diff partic remarkab. with respect to two most freq. occurring.

viz Taenia lata & Taenia solium of Lin the Taenia prima & Taenia secunda of [Plat.]

And indeed by some consid even as diff Gen.

First Taenia latter vermis Cucurbitinus

Of late sever remed prop. said to be effect cure for former which no influ on latter.

Hence then determ of partic species of some use at least in prognos.

Naturally question then with which species our patient affected.

But have never been able to get from her such fragm as to put it in powr to do this with certainty

But as far as could judge seemd be only in these prod to us one [illegible] mouth

That is appeard to be Taenia lata or Taenia prima, that most easily removd

Here then so far certain evid of a [morbid] affect.

And of cause of disease which unquest of utmost conseq to remove.

Remains however a quest. how far connected with other urgent sympt & operates as cause of these.

Is at least something in fav of this that while this morbid condit pres. have no evid of any other as induc compl.

Farther well known that from worms many very anomal sympt prod.

And from none more than Taenia.

From these circum then at least some probab. afforded that may be sole origin of affect.

But must be allowd that sever other circum also which at least serve to render this opin doubtful.

That worms in intest canal often are cause of disease not to be doubted.

Yet perhaps assignd as cause even more freq. than any foundat for.

No reason to suspect that other [disea] will not occurr, when pres as well as when absent.

Often remain in alim canal without prod much inconv.

And appear rather as sympt of other diseases than as cause.

Must, besides actual pres. then, attend to other circum

And here may first observe that [althoug] worm prod of anom sympt & of great variety of affect yet do not recollect any inst where have given rise to such as here occurr.

Among diff species of Cephal. Cephae & Hemicrania some indeed from worms

Yet no species where from these in intest canal.

Always [intes] & then lodged in front. sinuses.

From this then some object.

Still stronger from long contin of compl of head.

Has now been subj. to this affects for no less than space of six years.

While appear of worms only within few month.

These it is true may have been pres for consid time in alim canal before observd.

Yet hardly probab. that this would be case for sever. years.

Presumpt therefore that affect much later than other.

To these circum may add still third.

Long intervals viz between attacks of headach, & period app which has all along put on.

Is indeed true that affect occurring only at times, will sometimes arise from fixd cause

And this partic exampl. in sympt from worms.

Nor can this seem strange when consid that sympt dep. on there own action which may sometimes take place sometimes not.

But from this very reason can neither expect long nor regul intervals.

From both therefore some diffic with respect to this suppos.

And Upon whole disp to look upon two affect as being unconnected.

And would view pres of Taenia in intest canal as being a superveening compl.

While reckon it more probab. that affect of stomach conseq. than cause of headach.

This opin however cannot deliv without [diffid].

And merely as what from pres appear. consider to be most probab. conject.

Shall not be much aston however if hereafter find that in some partic mistaken.

And from future treatment of case circum may occurr from which shall be able to judge with greater cert.

Partic if can be able effect to remove one part of affect. viz Worms.

For on such an event whether headach cont. ceases or ceases contin. shall with certainty be able to judge whether connected or contrary.

At pres. however as disp to adopt latter suppos must on that ground give prognos.

And here as well as with respect to nature of the disease not without very consid diffic.

Of the two compl Cephal or headach of by much longest standing

And am inclind to think that shall find it most obstin.

When becomes an habit affect often contin even for life.

Or at least removd only by very great revolut in syst. from diff. accid.

And even when seemingly removed will freq. again be renewed from slight causes.

This more especially case when able only to mitig compl.

And after six years contin cannot soon expect more.

Espec if this part of patients comp does not dep on worms.

Shall therfore be very well satisf if can dismiss patient with headach return in less freq & less severe attacks

Espec if can at same time rid her entirely of other part of compl. the Tenia.

And of doing this am not without hopes.

Taenia indeed always consid as much more obstin to remove than other spec kinds of worms.

In so much that in many inst could be removed by no pract gener. known & was rankd among [oprob.] medic

This perhaps still case with Taenia Solium or Cucurbit.

But of late remed discov. & pub. which [repres] as highly effic against Taenia lata.

And as far as my exper. goes not [without] justice

Of this however shall pres. have occas to speak

But before observat on pract may be necess to observe that here not certain with respect to kind of worm

And therefore even admitting effic of med may be disappointed.

In treatment of this case considerd pres of Taenia in intest canal as most obvious part of affect.

And whether cause of other compl or not, could be least doubt respecting treatment.

Besides till remov. of worm could not with same cert. dep on effect of med empl. with other intent.

From these partic then determ to begin pract by attempt. remov of this.

Very lately two remed introd said to be highly effic for remov of this worm

And with Taenia lata held to be an infallib remedies.

One of these employd many years ago by a Phys. of emmin Dr [Herrenschw]

But although used it himself kept the compos. so far secret that would not pub. it.

For acct however of success & effects may referr you to what said of it by the industr Van [Sweenten] in Com of [Bor.] [Aph.] – De Morbis Infantum.

Then used in upwards of 200 cases

And of these had faild only in 8 or 9.

All of them inst of Taenia Cucurbit.

But although remed of Herrenschwand never publishd yet has made no scruple in inform many regul pract of his compos.

And apolog which gives for not making it more gener. known is that in unskil hands might be prod of danger conseq.

How far this apolog a good one not here our busin to enquire.

But from authen intell. which had pleas of receiving from Dr Gahn a Phys at Stockholm, person acquainted with Dr [Herrenschwand] am assurd that his remed consist of two artic.

Gamboge & Sal Absinth

From ten to 20 gr of formr added to about scruple of latter.

This dose exhib early in the morning.

If worm be not disch which rarely case from first dose repeated in two hours

And this for most part found suffic

But if not repeated to third & even fourth time.

either to origin treatise or what still better to English translat by Dr [Simmons], which has addit of many useful notes

Partic to second edit of transl

This then foundat of first [prescr] for our patient the Gamboge in form of electuary.

But although operated briskly yet brought off only small fragm of Taenia

Without therfore at that time pushing it farther had next recourse to anoth remed, of late even still more celeb. than that of Herrenschwand.

That was the remed prop by of Ms. Nouffer.

This also for long time kept secret.

But effic so far conf. by attest of emmin Phys. partic of Tissot who sent all his patients to Lady, who exhib this med, that at last drew attent of French Mon.

And after trial in Paris M Nouffer for prop. pecun compens. discl. Secret.

Some months ago therefore whole method of treatment pub. by author at Paris signed by Lassone, Macquer, Carburi & others of prin phys.

For partic acct of practice may referr you + to third vol of Med Com.

Or to translat of the treatise lately publ. at London.

For origin not I believe to be had here

Mad Nouffers med consist of two artic

What she calls specif & a strong [purga]

Specif consists of powder of root of male fern a very common veget in this country.

The filix non ramos. dentata of [Buc]

The Polypod filix [mas] of Linnaeus.

This powder given to extent of ℥i [d] ii.

Two hours after strong purgat consist of Mercury, Jallap. Scam & Gamb.

Have never ventured to exhib this med to extent directed.

But in infer dose have in one case obt from it best effect.

By means of it brought away Taenia in this phial with which a female patient distressd for 30 years.

And since that has had no return of it. For full acct [illegible] Med Com

With pres. patient then this the foundat of practice with [the] Fern powd

But besides that employd only small dose reason to susp. that not exactly taken accord to direct.

Am not much surp. then that in this trial faild of success.

Do not however desp of success by these med.

And if should even be Taenia Cucurb hope at least to be able to bring away larger fragm. than yet disch.

An emmin pract in this Country Dr [Ogl] of Forfar has used Fern powder in cure of Taenia Cucurb.

And although has not cured patient yet at diff times has brought away very large fragm.

One of these cont in this bottle has been kind enough to send me.

But with pres patient in place of immed repeating med by which might be exhaus. have judged it advis to give interm for few weeks.

In mean time have employd med directed with view to headach.

And with this view used Emet & Valer.

Is however intent very soon to repeat pract aganst Taenia.

And with that view mean to employ first remed of Herrenschwand giving it if not to same extent at least in same mannr that he directs.

At same time attend to accurr on part of patient.

If this unsuccess. shall next have recourse to Fern.

And in place of ℥p will give it at least to extent of dram if not of ℥ip.

At same time subj. to it a purgat more nearly approach to that employd by M. Nouffer.

If these means unsuccess. shall I own by very doubt of success.

But before relinq. hopes may give trial to power of Tin.

If after removal of worm headach remains that will be next obj of atten.

But pract which may judge necess will be entirely regul by circum.