DEP/DUA/1/19/12 (Transcript version)

Mathew Oliphant

(1778-1779)

---

Of Mathew Oliphant next patient in order perhaps hardly necess to say any thing.

The want of attend on his own part has frust. object which had in view by taking him under our care.

A trial viz how far disease could be allev or removed by prop & regul persev in use of Electicit.

With regard to nature of affect here no room any doubt.

And in attack sympt & progr of the case nothing which could be consid as singul.

That affect to be consid as paralysis suff. evinced by impaird state of motion which here occurd.

And by gener affect of gener sensib. of one side of body as well as partic affect of some of extern senses.

Affect had even gone to such length as to induce wasting of parts.

A necess conseq indeed of dimin of impet of circul. which had here manif taken place

Sudden attack of affect by no means rare.

Happens perhaps even more freq. in this way than in grad manner.

And when thus occurring oftener during the night than in day time.

Although sometimes from obvious cause yet in many inst can be traced to no partic affect accid.

In these diff circum then have not only suff charact of disease, but also of extent to which gone.

And here may be observd that symp by no means such as to give any found for entert hopes of speedy recov.

Well known that many inst [incurab]

And this partic the case when occurs at late period of life.

Pres. patient however at least past vigour of life.

And before he came under our care affect had subsistd for six months

A period longer than that for which those inst in gener. contin which cap. of being removed.

To this may be added that dimin of impet of circulat & wasting of flesh always ranked among worst sympt.

In all these partic then case rather unfav.

Yet neither to be rankd beyond period of natural nor artif cure.

Consid it therfore as not unworthy of patients attent to give himself at least chance of fair trial.

And with this view imagind that no remed better calcul than Electric.

Influ which has as excit nerv energy estab beyond doubt.

Hence then gener calcul for cases depend on collapse.

And even when disease depends on comp. may have effect as rendering its influ less consid

On these acct therefore recommended it to patient to give fair trial.

And as has not followd this advice [reckon] any farther observat unnecess.