DEP/DUA/1/22/01 (Transcript version)

Janet Allan

(1779-1780)

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Janet Allan

Disease singul. & import.

Yet few observ. as little subj of pract.

Affect when under our care solely headach & vertigo.

Sympt in all probab. connected.

And as conj. freq. arising from diff causes.

From none however oftener than from affect of Br. itself.

Sometimes indeed both from stom.

Yet less freq. than from Brain.

And here stronger presumpt of latter from sympt which had before occurd.

Had proceeded even to total blindness.

And this accompan with uncom disch. from eyes

From nature probab from Lacrym glands.

And may conject conseq. of pecul. irritat to these.

Farther presumpt from contin of dis

And from no stomach compl. ever obsvd

With headach & vertigo want of Mens.

Had occurrd howevr only at late period.

After other disease viz of two years cont.

May conclude therefore that sympt.

And Ammen. probab. oftener so than an idiopath affect.

Consid disease therfore as without comp

Yet viewd it as by no means without dang

Brain indeed will at times suffer great [deal]

And that even when local affect

Yet of all organs affect perhaps most dangr.

And although not unfreq without [local] disease yet from long contin susp.

In pres inst however was in hopes that had not occurd.

Partic as no fixd pain to any one spot

Dreaded therefore rather obstin than danger affect

And after three years could not look for very speedy recov.

Here respect plan of cure was very much at loss.

Though referrd to brain yet without [know] of nature of affect.

Began treatm therfore rather on rand & empyr. footing than on rational prin.

Was intent to have watchd progr.

And to have formd judgem from [illegible] & [illegible]

On this footing here first directd elect.

A mode of cure from which nothing I imag. to be appreh.

And on sever. grounds expect of good effect

Well known that few artic more powerful.

Partic exempl. in paralyt affect

There no doubt that operates as affect nerv energy.

And probab influ in this way in conseq of affect of brain.

Cheifly empl. indeed as means of rest sensib.

And thus most manif useful.

Have often howev empl it with diff inten.

For counteract viz influ of morbid sensib.

And in this way also inclind to consid affects as refer to action on brain.

Was thus cheifly that here exp. benef.

But indep of all prin employd on [far.] Exp.

For in sever. cases of obstin headach have known it used with advant.

Here then wishd at least to be able to judge of effects from trial.

And if should even aggrav compl. yet [with] caution no hazard.

If allev. hoped cure from contin.

If not yet opport of observ affect.

And thus led to more effect means.

Failing this other [measures]

Partic Extr of Hyosciam.

But since first ordered have seen nothing of patient – And farther remarks unnecss.