DEP/DUA/1/19/04 (Transcript version)

Robert Robertson

(1778-1779)

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Robt Robertson.

Case of this patient selected as subj of lect from idea that exhib examp of very uncommon affect.

At least according to acct given us had never before met with any case which had [seen] near resemb. to pres.

Patient we are told affected with period swelling attacking him regul every day at certain hour & contin for limited time.

May reasonably conclude that from transit nature could depend on no fixd cause.

And accordingly are informd that at no time attended with any obvious fluct

Swellings of abdom of transit nature not unfreq the affect of flatul.

And these will even be so far propag through alim canal as to give uneas at throat & affect of breathing.

Such however are the sympt markd in this case.

But even these sympt as occurring from flatul by no means corresp. with appear as here describd.

For with flatul. very rarely that symp attack period.

And when do so almost never happen that contin only for limit time.

Besides swelling of this kind attended with evid indicat of flatul from borbor or such other sympt.

And when relief occurrs is in conseq of disch of flatus wind by flatus or eruct.

No circum of this kind however as far at least as we have been inf. took place with pres patient.

Besides this farther extraordin as flat a very rare affect to so early a period of life.

Singul also that should have occurd suddenly & without any manif cause

And what of all others most surpris that should have contin regul for so long space as four weeks without alterat

From acct [then], thus given was incl. to consider case as singul.

And thought might not be unworthy of attent to exam progr & sympt

At same time, singul such as might naturally have [created] some doubt, as to truth of acct.

For cannot pretend to affirm that patient had no inducem. to deceive either us or patients parents.

And without any such intent may have exagger. descript.

Here then would naturally have been first object to determ facts.

And partic by taking opportun. of exam patient during course of parox as it might be calld.

Was rather then with view of not app entirely inact, till such opport. should be afforded than from hopes of any great benef. that directed for patient med which at first ordered.

At same time will evid observe that was princip intended against flat

Perhaps few artic more immed useful as expelling wind from alim canal than pepperm water.

And of all tribe of stimul to stom employd with this view is one of most innocent.

At least while equally effic [astring] much less pernic than spirit liquor.

But here comb. this artic with another the Tinct. Amar.

And while one intended [for] expuls of wind other meant with view to prev of return.

How far however had influence in either of these ways have not since been informd.

For since got first prescript have seen nothing more of patient.

A circum which while gives some room to conject that patient may be freed from compl., affords no less ground for susp, that acct at first given not fair repres.

At any rate farther conject unnecess.