DEP/DUA/1/21/29 (Transcript version)

James Anderson

(1779-1780)

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James Anderson

What consid as prin part of his disease an obv. affect.

Swelling viz of glands on left side of face immed under jaw.

These indeed occurd at period of life rather late for commen of Scroph

Yet both from situat, app, & state of disch where had termin in suppur. strong reason to imag that of this kind.

But besides what consid as manif scroph affect sever other sympt also.

Partic uneas in abdom ascend to thorax.

These disposed to consid as totally unconnectd with other compl.

As arising from pecul dispos. of alim canal to inordin action.

And of this state, consid both headac & affect of vision as merly symptom.

Shall not be surp. to find that this part of affect as well as other proves both tedious & obstin.

Yet was with view cheifly to trial of remed in Scroph affect., the obstin of which well known, that took this pat. under care.

Here will observe that ever since commen of treatm patient has been unif kept on one med.

Powder viz comp. of Cicuta & Valer.

While latter artic cheifly intendd for giving prop. form imag. also that might have some good effect on sympt origin from alim canal.

And as already have had occas to observe, have no doubt that influ as affect nerv energy both powerful & pecul.

But here medicine on which put cheif reliance was the Cicuta.

This again intended with view to scrophul. affect.

Need to say nothing respect charact with which some years ago Cicuta recom to us from Vienna.

Nor need I take notice of diff [illegible] entert with regard to real effic, in this country

Greater part of pract so far disap. in expect., that hold it to be totally useless.

Yet some, & must acknowl. myself one of No, who look upon it as very powerf. artic.

Am not therefore surp. to hear that among pract at Vienna still supports high respect.

At least this acct lately written of it to Ednr, by an ingen Gent. Dr Logan who lately took degree at this place and who in course of studies at pres visits Vienna.

Accord to his acct at Vienna many cures perf. by it.

This I am readily disp to believ

Yet cannot agree with Vienna Phys that our want of success to be ascribd to improp prepar.

Can be no doubt that in powder of Cicuta activ fully retaind

And that this more certain form for exhib than any extract.

Besides at this place extract as prep at Vienna by apoth empl. by Dr Stork hims. has often been used with no better success than other

And may farther add that in extract of seeds, a prepar freq. empl. here but which has not yet made way to Vienna a prepar. more active than any extract which can be made from leaves.

Whatever repres. may be given have no doubt that at Vienna as well as here, both in Schirr & Cancer often fail

Every one who has exam state of these diseased parts well knows that in many cases organ struct totally destroy.

And that bulk of diseased part reduced to [confused] & imperv. mass.

When this case an abund in [illegible] that any artic capab. of renew circul. through the part.

For vessels not merely obst. but obliterated.

And wherever cicuta or any other med success. can only be, where [vess] still remain such, that possib of circ obstr being removed & circul. renewd.

As long as this the case hold Cicuta to be powerful artic.

And accord. in many inst where appear highly unfav from appar schirros, or tenden to Cancer, have seen it I think attend with manif advant.

On same princip on which remov these gland affect am inclind also to think that may be benef in [illegible] of scroph nature

And where no affect of bones have in some inst I think seen it of manif use.

Am in hopes that by prop cont such may yet be exper in pres case

And upon whole since began use of it glandul affect rather dimin as otherwise.

If matter cont in same train, shall not think of alter course or of soon desist from trial.

But if any change will merely be encrease of quantit.

If after fair trial unsuccess. [meas] then to be adopted must be accomod to state of compl. at the time