DEP/DUA/1/21/16 (Transcript version)

Peggy Reid

(1779-1780)

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Peggy Reid.

Can hardly consider disease of this patient as being of complic nature

Yet with suff. prop. seems to be referab to two diff gener.

In state of menst. disch. both with respect to extent to which occurrs & length of time for which contin, have what may be reckond charact marks of Men.

While at same time in state of succeeding disch of white or yellow colour have as distinct the sympt of Leucorrhoea.

And this disch accompan. too with debilit, pain of back & all those other marks which serve to dist. Leucor

But although each disease thus charact can have little doubt that both arose from same cause

Or at least of this high presump from acct given us, of which no reason to doubt truth while at same time highly probab. by no means uncommon.

Are informd that both commen soon after deliv about somewhat more than four years ago.

And then ascribed to speedy & viol extract of placent.

That this may be prod of many morb. affect of uterus can admit of no doubt.

Yet if any evils were to result from it, should necess. expect these as immed conseq.

While in pres. case occurd only after interv of four weeks.

But if from this circum some improbab in that conject may at same time be observd that both Menorr & Leucorrh. from morb. affect of same organ.

And that this organ during pregn in sever. [respects] subj. to very consid changes.

To change then induced by state of pregn should here be disp. to referr both affect.

And great reason to appreh. that alterat in syst of uterus such as not to be easily remed.

But if from this view of nature of affect reason to appreh obstin this equally to be dreaded from contin which has already had.

After now subsist. for four years may concl. that morbid state in great meas [rivitted].

And from stoppage of this as well as of other habit disch. reason even to appreh worst conseq.

Partic if such should happen to be suddenly induced.

From this then deterrd from those meas which should have consid as most effect in combat pres. disease.

And that either as restr. disch [when] under form of bloody or serous matter.

From these circum here determ to trial of a remedy which for my own part have not freq. employd.

On what princip can here suppose it to operate must own am at loss to say.

This indeed & other absorb. justly consid as possess. some degree of restoring power.

And that have affect as binding belly in some cases of looseness conf. by undoubted observat.

This however general ascribd merly to destruct of acid on which looseness depends

And whether influ in this respect any farther extended in syst. may I think be very justly quest.

But here led to this pract, not so much on knowl. of princip, as on author of others.

This artic taken to very great extent at pres. a very fash remedy in Holland where disease much more common than in Britt.

Wishd therfore to determ by exper. as far at least as such afforded by pres. case, wether accts to be cred.

And with view both of giving somewhat more of astring power & of keeping belly open ordered conj of few grains of Rhub.

Cannot say that hitherto prod of any remark benef.

Yet is intent to persist in use for some time longer