DEP/DUA/1/21/06 (Transcript version)

Christian Watt

(1779-1780)

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Christian Watt.

Sympt describd in case of this patient of consid variety.

And such as may natur exp. not conn

Most obv. part of disease & what indeed have had chiefly in view in treatm is cutan erupt.

This indeed hitherto not very extens.

But has already cont with consid obstin

And of that nature which gives reason to dread farther extent.

Although this part of affect thus obv. & simple yet diff in assign name to it.

In syst of nosol. indeed great variety of these accur. describd.

But with appar. accur. marked often meet with an affect which seems to answer to sever.

While again appear not perman.

For what at pres. answers exactly to one descript, will soon after answ to anoth

From this circum have often thought that gener here divid much beyond what necess.

And diversit in nature not corresp to diff in appear.

To all those nearly resemb. pres. would give name either of lepr. or herpet erup

And even between these two no fixd or steady limit.

In gener. however empl. [former] [appelat] where dry & scaly form, latter where more tenden to disch.

Under these may observe that all the variety of affect known among vulg undr vague term of scurvy to be compreh.

For by this term mean a disease totaly & essent diff from Scorbutus or Sea Scurvy.

Here however to be remarkd that among other sympt of pat. some indic that aff

This partic case with respect to state of Gums.

These describd as having livid & swoln appear.

From this circum alone if occur at sea would have had strong pres. of [Scur]

At least this state of Gums, [partc] if pit on press. is by all seam consid as pathogn sympt.

Then however occurrs only as one of first appear of gener affect of syst.

But unquest even at sea may take place merely as local disease.

And this still more freq. case on shore

Or at least when there occurring much more freq. local than dep. on affect of gener. habit.

This partic to be concl. when progr slow, to inconsid extent, & without any other symp

This however can hardly venture to say is case in pres. inst.

For besides cold & hot fits with sweating not unfreq. also affected with palpitat at heart.

This almostso must be allowed a symp in scorbutus.

But when does occurr is only at very late periods of disease.

Upon whole then consider this as well as some other sympt. to proceed from debilit.

Look on affect of Gums to have been merely a local disease.

And selected case of this patient as subj of lect & pract. cheifly with view to cutan disease.

This therefore only part of affect to be consid in prognos.

And here not without diffic.

Nothing indeed by any means alarm.

Should have no appreh of danger if even much greater.

But method in which cure will proceed hold to be always very uncert.

Have treated many cases much worse where where recovery very exped effected.

Have treated many others which have found to resist every effort.

Or at least though tempor. remov. soon again returnd.

And this not always in inst where to greatest extent

Not unfreq. partial cases the [most] [obst]

Here therefore shall not be surprzd to find cure ted.

And that the rather as patient does not seem to pay prop. attent on own part

From irregul hitherto presumpt that will not give remed fair chance.

If however shall follow direct hope that may be able to free her from this compl.

Gener. princip on which cure to be directed must in good meas be varied by what supp. cause of affect.

And cases although num oper. perh. on but few gener princip.

Most freq in one of two ways.

By induc morbid condit of gen mass of fluids

Or by morbid affect of cutan vessels.

In some cases indeed affect of depr. secret by sebac. glands

In others of morbid affect of bulbs of hair.

But both one & other of these rare occur.

And in pres. inst when consider that disease partial should be inclind [rather] to referr it to morb. cond of vessel than to any other cause.

These in such state that from depraved condit of action pecul. separ.

And thus scaly incrust. formd.

For comb. disease therefore morbid cond must be removed.

And this affected either by immed & top. action or through interv of circul.

In both ways variety of artic in use.

Here had recourse to pract which in many other inst have empl with success

I mean intern use of Vitriol acid.

This artic one of most active in min kingdom, long empl. for med. purp.

For full view of these as well as of princip on which operates, may referr you to very valuab. inaug dissert lately publ. here by Dr Campbell De [Acido] Vitriol

May here only observe that while long empl. for many purp. of late only used in cutan affect.

First introd as a remedy for Psora in arm. of Pruss. Maj. during last war.

To this Dr [Cothen.] the first who empl. prob. led by analog to connect with Sulph

Well known that of Vitriol acid by much great. part of Sulph. consist.

To use of latter however disagr. smell a strong object.

And cannot be completely cov by any art.

Was therfore desirab. obj. to attempt cure by Vitr. acid itself.

As thus smell in great meas if not entirely avoided.

And now by exper. found that may be readily affected by intern use [where] no affect whatever as giving smell.

In this way then of late much empl.

And a treatise prof. written with view of recom it by Dr Helmich, De olei Vitriol usu in quibusdam Scabiei speciebus.

Recom both in Scab. sicca & [haemda].

But conf. use to the disease dep on pecul. contag.

Since first became acquainted with this pract. have not unfreq. empl it.

And have extended use I think with advant. to other cutan disease.

In affect both of Leprous & Herpet kind very consid benef.

Once in partic cured by it an obstin & gener. case which treated long with other remed without success.

And which before under hands of sever other pract to no purp.

Extent to which given varied accord to circum.

But in gener. in prop of ℥i to ℥p.

And this to extent of ℥i in glass of Water.

In this manner, have very rarely found it disagree with stom of any pat

And in general rather gratefuly [aid] as otherwise.

Even in space of few days for most part obv. change on disease

And by prop. contin compl. cure

Very far however from repres. it as what will always succeed.

And where has faild inter have yet removed affect by extern applic.

For this purp. united with oil or hogs lard to extent of ℥i to ℥I form Linim or Ungt Vitriol.

And by extern applic of this both cure of Psora & other cut affect. withou any inconven.

Here began however although disease manif local with intern use

To this in some meas induc. by other sympt to which patient subj.

Hoped that might have good effect both as counteract disease of gums & likewise in restr tend to morbid sweat

While at same time no less powerf against cutan affect of

With this patient however had effect from action on stomach which have very rarely met with.

Excited not only sickness but also vom

In some inst have found pat. comp of sense of heat in stomach

But very rarely prod of any other uneas.

And do not recollect that have ever before seen vom effect of it even with very young children.

This however with pres patient such obj that has taken very little of it.

And if any change for better on dis can hardly be attrib to this med.

From disagr. with stomach do not intend to persist in use under pres. form.

But to try it And have now ordered it extern applied under that of Ungt. Vitriol.

If other sympt aggrav shall prob. have recourse to Peruv Bark.

But with this patient reckon it unnecess to suggs many med.

As doubtful whether opport of fair trial to what already mentiond.