DEP/DUA/1/21/31 (Transcript version)

Robert Davie

(1779-1780)

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Robt Davie.

Few sympt, & all these manif.

Disease at pres. entirely a cutan affec

And of that kind to which from app. have little hesitat in giving name of Herpes.

In other respects free from compl.

Such affect upon the whole less common in early life than with pat farther advanced.

But in occurr even at this period no great singularity.

Farther to be observd that notwith youth of patient this not first compl. of chronic kind.

More than 12 months ago a dispen patient for affect which then consid as of more alarm nature.

Then affected with ulcers on diff parts of body & swelling of abdom accomp as might natur be supposed with tum on diff parts some diffic in [Respir]

Then suspected all sympt with which he was affected to dep on Scroph

And lookd on enlargem of abdom as cheifly proceeding from affect of [mysent] glands

Whether conject well founded or not pat. had recov under treatm directed with view to Scroph.

Yet notwith appar recov. when consid nature of affect could hardly with confid pron entire remov from [const.]

Now therfore when has again come under our care necess I think to have in view former affect.

And from this circum restr from giving prognos so fav as should otherwise be disp. to do.

For although such erupt, not common sympt in scroph, yet may be connected with it.

And although no connex, yet every sore in a scroph habit very liab to become obstin

And at time when patient came under our care disch so consid from spots where erupt most consid that degen into state of ulcer could not have appeared strange.

In dep. however of appreh from this source in appear of eruption itself nothing unfav.

Had compar speaking been of no long contin.

Was confined to but few parts of system

And of that appear which yeilds much more readily to med than when of dry scaly form.

Unless therfore supported by Scroph shall hope that in no long time patient may be dismissd free from affect.

To recov. would fain flatter myself that already consid progress made

And that too as conseq of course on which has here been put.

Cannot indeed alledge that since came under our care sympt have unif declind.

At times tempor. augment.

Yet upon whole consid less than before.

Here in treatm you will observe have had recourse to two med.

And these unif contin from time taken under our care.

One applied extern the other taken internally.

Is I appreh in former of these ways viz by extern applic immed acting on diseased part that to expect most speedy & most consid relief.

And in this way often greatest benef from pecul stim & astring app

Although however from these often expedit remov of cutan compl. yet not always safe in other respects

Have freq been accused of inducing still more danger effect.

Although much disp to think that accounts given of repuls of erupt. are greatly exagerated & that conseq. often [ascrid] to them which never prod, yet very far from denying that on no occas bad effects.

And these partic to be dreaded where erupt attend with consid disch.

For am inclind to think that these conseq. result not from retent of pecul matter in syst. but from change in mode of respirat. circulat.

And from obst of disch to which the system had been habit.

On these acct. therefore where [mean] to trust cure cheifly to extern applic. an intern med augm disch by some natural outlett in gener advis.

And for this purpose perhaps nearly equal advant from prom by [stim], by belly, by surface or by urin passags.

For in either way prev. bad effects although contrib little to cure.

These observat then will explain gener intent in pract in pres. case.

Here removal of cutan erupt. trusted cheifly to extern applic.

And amidst various active artic which might have employd had recourse to one which in my own pract have not freq. used.

An ointm viz activ of which dep on calx of Zinc.

Of intern use of this artic had in form case occas to speak.

Externally much longer empl. in [pract]

And if may be allowed the comparis, with same intent that is now given intern

That is with view to tonic & astring powers.

With this intent long the basis of eye ointm.

Partic where eyelashes in raw or ulcerated state.

On same princip also may [exert] benef where erupt with tenden to dis

And in such has of late been a good deal used by pract here.

Have cheifly been induced to it on suggest of worthy friend Mr [Bell] an ingen surgeon at this place

And will observe that has recom such an applic in valuab treatise on ulcers.

In some inst simil to prest have tried it I think with good effect.

And have used it also as an [applic] to [ulcers] not without advant.

Hoped therefore that in pres inst might be able by means of it to relieve patient & have still farther conf of good effects.

Is to use of this applic that am here disp to ascribe dimin of affect which have taken place.

And have ventured to omit it in hopes that may not be farther necess

If however any return of affect flatter myself that by repetit cure may be affected.

In conjunct with this extern applic from intent already expl. have had recourse to Sal. Polych.

In this had cheifly in view the keeping belly gently open.

And by giving two or three loose stools a day thus compens [accust] [evac]

To choice of Sal. Polych here cheifly led from idea of scroph habit.

For with a pract of first emmin here Dr Monro must think that in Scroph have seen advant from use.

Observat however on this subj foreign to pres. case

For now at least no evid of Scroph

Here suff. to observe then that answ intent of moving belly.

And that from topic applic no bad conseq. observd.

Hope therfore that without farther aid pat may soon be disch from atten