DEP/DUA/1/19/11 (Transcript version)

Christian Thomson

(1778-1779)

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Christ. Thomson.

In affect to which this patient subj had appear rather uncommon.

Must own therefore cannot help regret. that relat. have discont attend.

For she herself since day that case taken never in situat of visiting us.

And in that respect indeed in some meas an improp. patient for our lect here.

But selected this case as exhib ex if not of partic disease at least of partic modif of a very common one

Of sympt in this affect, which [illegible] those at least most striking to observ. where the convuls. agitat.

And thus partic remarkab in muscles of necks, legs & arms.

By involunt motion of these head feet & hands kept during fit in constant agitat.

Such inordin motion an occurr in sever diff diseases.

But in none more remark than an [Elipe] Convuls, & Hysteria.

To former genus however could not referr this compl. as no affect of [interm] extern senses here occurrd.

During whole course of most obstin attacks these remaind in every resp [unim]

An affect of these howevr am inclind to look upon as sympt essent to Epilep.

And indeed as in some meas necess [cons] of cause from which epilep arises.

Cheifly then divided in opin whether should consider it as an example of [Chorea] or convuls strictly so calld.

Or should look upon it as an inst of Hyster

Sympt. mentiond above much more app of former than of latter of these.

And had no other here occurrd should not have hesit in adopting that opin.

For these not only disting marks of chorea but at same time at utmost very rare in Hysteria.

Is however affected also with many other sympt.

And these occurren which if not the const attend of Hister at least very freq. accomp it.

Among other sympt one of first mention in case is severe pain in crown of head.

This indeed not so far consid to be a sympt essent to hyster that has enterd defin of any nosol.

Yet may here remark that sympt of hyster so much diversif that almost every nosol. has def. them it in diff. manner

And if not a constant that pecul pain of head with which our patient here describd to be affected if not a const is at least a very freq. sympt in Hyster.

And partic consid as charact the [diseas] by the accurr observer Dr Syden. who describes it under title of Clav. Hysteria

Besides this still farther sympt of Hysteria in affect of alim canal.

In yawning, sighing & freq eructat have what every gener occurr as Hyst sympt.

And in that inordinat action of mov. fibres of alim canal rising to throat & these giving sense of suffocat. have what many consid as pathogen of [diseas]

Besides all these indeed many other sympt also.

But none of them which do not freq occurr as concom of this affect

And indeed hard to say with what sympt may not be attended.

But besides sympt farther presump of this affect from from age & sex of patient.

From fits being manif exited by [illegible] of passions of the mind partic fright

And from patient although arrived at age when menst flux may naturally be expected having never yet had that disch.

Upon whole then although only fit with which ever saw this patient affectd had much more appear of Chorea than Hysteria, yet am inclind to consider it as affording ex of latter affect in an uncommon form

Respecting prognosis in this case unnecess. to make any remarks.

As probab. shall never have opport of learning event of case.

Which indeed not impossib has already taken place

At time when applied for assist from us relat & other attend consid her as in most immin danger.

And unquest. in debilit state which was reduced could not have been surpr. had patient been suddenly cutt off by any viol fit.

Yet may in gener observe that affect much more alarm than realy [danger].

And patients will contin for great length of time, & at length recov. where sympt to much greater height than in pres inst.

And that too even where recov. not to be ascribd to influ of any partic med.

From this then would conclude that termin of pres. disease either in health or in death not to be wondered at.

And with view to forwarding latter & prevent of former many meas to which recourse might be had.

With view of effecting this nothing of more conseq. than removal of that pecul irritab. in conseq of which from slightest causes as pass of mind or like inordinate actions induced.

And this perhaps not more affect obt in any way than by use of Tonic

As such had here recourse to use of Zinc.

And to this led not only from prin but from exper. of good effects in simil cases.

Use of Zinc internally in such [affec] but of recent date

Probab. first employd by an Empyr in Holland as an antiepilep.

In his hands attended with such success as drew attent of [learnd] [Gaub.]

And in his adversaria will find a dissertat in which gives account of its effic under title of Luna fixata Luddem.

Soon after tried by sever other pract partic by Van Dovern at Col. Casuale.

And within these few years employd by almost every pract in Brit. in epilep, convuls & hyster affect.

Cannot then seem strange that in many inst should have faild.

For some cases of these prob incurab. by any means.

This however has led sever pract to considr the Zinc as totally ineffic

But both from own exper as well as that of sever other pract. on whose [accur] can put greatest dep. am conv that is a med of very consid effic.

And where not prod of advant in gener gives no inconven.

From these consid then look upon it as often even meriting first trial.

Here gave it as conjoind with powder of Valer

From that addit princip obj was to give prop. form

Of the Valer however am also disp to have good opin.

For although by no means that powerf nerv med which some would have us to believe yet have little doubt that exerts very pecul influ on nerv energy.

And from a prin of inst vorac eat by cats who of all domest anim [most] subj to diseas of convuls kind.

Imag therfore that might in some meas improve effic of formul.

From this med however compl. of patients were not at least speedily removed.

Nor did cure seem to be greatly forwarded either by addit of Aether or of Pil [Gummos] afterwards occas emp

And about end of Janr since which have heard nothing with regard to her could hardly be said to be any better than when came under care