DEP/DUA/1/22/03 (Transcript version)

Grizel Robertson

(1779-1780)

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Grizel Robertson

This patient as relatd in hist already oftener than once under care.

And And once subj of lect have hoped that had even obt. compl. cure.

Now however app that mist

And that utmost remiss from [disease] for some length of time.

Here with regard to name of affection in investig by nosol. meth some diff.

For accord to this plan name to be derivd not from cause but sympt.

Of these most urgent affect of alim can

Pains viz of Stom, Belly & Back

These well known to proceed from various causes.

And while often from state of intest themselves so [freq.] also from extran matter acting upon these

Here evid disch of worms leaves no room to doubt that in pres inst pains arise from that cause

And under that of [Gastrod] a spec [termd] Gastrod a peregrinis

Among various other extran matters howevr capab of inducing it enum pain diff species of worms, partic Taenia & Lumbr. to be enumerated.

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While howevr consid this part of affect as arising from worms can have no doubt that equally cause of other sympt.

And While give rise to pains of abdom on same princip as excite those of stom from injury & irritat to intest induce debilit from consump of alim & exhaust of syst.

And from this debilit pain of back Palpitat probab. arises.

Besides these well known that worms in alim canal give rise to an almost infin divers. of sympt.

Hence have consid it as most dist. method, to view sympt from worms as forming genus of disease.

To which accord to pres. mode of form [compo] from Greek may give name of Elminosos.

While may be distinguished into species according to kind of worm from which sympt arise

Here no doubt that worm in intest canal of this patient belongs to genus of Taenia.

Of this not only certif from descrip of patient but from numer fragm of it which has at diff. times brought to us.

In what manner this anim comes to be prod in alim canal has always been matter of very great diffic.

For hardly any anim simil to it discov in any other parts of nature.

And certain that if exists in this country is at least extremely rare.

How therefore ova should be introd is very diffic to conceive.

Yet whatever diffic may occurr with regard to this is both certain that does not unfreq take place & that of sever. diff species.

In syst. Natur of Mr Linnaeus has pointed out four species.

And of these repres. three as being only found in intest of Mam & of some other anim as fishes.

With regard to species of Taenia in this case from fragm of which sever in this glass such of you as incline may examine brought to us appear manif to be Taenia Solium Vermis Cucurbit.

This appears from each of fragm being furnishd with the osculis marginalibus solitariis.

While another species, Taenia vulg sometimes found in slimy waters.

Even as these discov. however althou possess same charact marks, is yet of very diff size, from what found in human body.

And very gener much smaller.

Hence then if even from this origin would yet seem that growth affectd by [indus] & situat in which placed.

What partic species in this case have not I own investig

But from slight view am inclind to consider it as being the Taen. lata of Lin. T. prima of Plater.

This however unless in what respects prognos. immater.

For in as far as are acquainted with cure is in both cases brought about by same remed.

Although indeed Taen. Solium of Linn. Vermis Cucurb. of Plater said much more diff to remove.

And to [wich] remed operat great certaint against other.

Even in slightest cases of Taen cure diffic

And no doubt that withstand power of anthelm. by which other worms effect expelld.

In pres case then cannot be without doubt.

And that both from obstin of worm in gener. & from pecul. obstin of this species.

This therefore in pres inst must naturally give greater uncert. with regard to [Psora]

And here hopes of cure very faint.

Even in slightest cases of Taenia is often found very diff to remove.

And withst. anthelm by which other worms expelld.

Hence then although case never [before] under care should have had doubt

And that both from obstin of worm Taenia in general, & of this spec in partic

But after what already happend still more doubtful.

For have already found that [illegible ] use of most powerful remed have not been able to remove it.

And although large portions brought away yet has again returned.

Disch of such large portion howevr common conseq of med.

And once in partic great hopes that had accompl. cure.

For fragm disch termin in small tappering [thread]

A circum always consid as indic compl. disch at least of that worm

Even after that howev have again seen return

But whether of same or diff, canno posit say.

For now cert. that not always only solitary

Whether same or not, now appears more diff acted upon than form.

For notwith use of diff remd have not been able to obt. disch. even of large section portion

Must own therfore very faint hopes of cure or even consid benf to patient.

Still however patient in such state as to give opport for trials to cure

For this purpose need hardly remark that great obj to be aimd at is entire expls. of worm.

Well known however that such power of retain situat that even strongest efforts of intest canal for expuls of [cond] insuffic.

Power of retent which possess. exists to much higher degree than is case with any other worm.

On what cause this dep. not certainly ascertained.

But one circum in nature of this anim, which probab. at least operates to cert. degree

That is numer tenacul. which exist through whole length of it.

With regard to other worms no doubt that whole parts connected form only one animal.

And princip if not sole attach by extremit, partic head.

But with regard to Taenia much doubted whether whole to be consid as one anim or each joint as separ & distinct anim.

Tyson, Andry, Tulp. & others indeed contend that whole parts possess one head in common.

Place it at broadest extrem & have descr. & [paintd] it as resemb. that of serpent.

But Linnaeus well acquainted with [these] observat. contends that in this mist.

And founds assert. not on exam of fragm of animal as disch from hum body, but of whole anim as taken from intest of dogs on dissect of them.

But be this as may certain that this anim not attachd merely be extrem.

While each joint of chain has one or more mouths & viscer. pecul. to itself, has also tenac.

And by these is capab. when disch alive of attach to any soft subst.

From numer. holds then, would acct for great resist to expuls.

Hence then disch to be effected only by rendering it incap of retaining place

Thus cure to be princip expected from either entirely destroying or at least weaken. vital powers.

This howevr from circum already mentiond prob more diffic with this worm than any other.

For [as] each joint possess power of retent so also probab that independ of others possess. vital power.

Hence then can readily understand why all common pract freq. ineffect

And certain that after regul pract have faild sometimes cured by [other] possess. [illegible ].

This partic the case in some countries where Tenia much more common than in Britt.

And in Switzerland in partic. for exampl the nostrum of M. Nouffer rend partic famous from Tissot sending to her all patients who applied to him affectd with sympt from this anim, without attempt cure himself.

Her mode of treatment, for public benef. purch. by French King.

And partic acct of it published at Paris entit Precis de la traitment contre le Taenia

Has lately been translated into Engl & sever addit cases subj. in which has in Brittain been used with success.

Repres as most affect cure for Taenia partic for that species termd the Taenia Lata or Tape Worm

Basis of her remed or specif as she calls it is powder of root of male fern.

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This recommended as means of expelling Taenia as anciently as days of Dioscor.

From what circum came afterwards to be neglected in pract. hard to say.

And since has again been reviv still with some matter of doubt whether really effic or not.

For accord to pract of M. Nouffer soon after Fern powder, pat. takes very strong cathart.

And into her formul. besides Jallap & other means of expelling worms there enter sever of those artic reput among strongest anthelm.

Besides Mercur. contains also Gambog an artic of itself said suff for cure.

And which certainly basis of anoth famous nostr. that viz of Dr Herrenschwand Phys. to King of Poland.

Reason which Dr Herrenschwand [arg] for keeping his med secrete is that alledged that from imprud admin might be prod of worst effects

Has howevr commun formula to several pract

And accord to all accts is nothing else but mixt of equal parts of Gam & Sal. Absynth.

To purgat therefore more than fern powder [may] disp to attrib success of Mad Nouff. med

Yet besides author of Dioscord told in French public that women sometim compl. disch before med taken

From exper in one inst on [form] [occas], which pub in med cases, inclind to consid it as effic

And after having there succeeded with it in Taen Lata thought of here trying it against Tan. Solium.

Accord when formerly under care [used] [it]

Empl at that time in manner directed by M. Nou

Then brought off very large fragm

Found howvr in end insuff for [cure]

For although no appear of worms or sympt for some time yet again returnd

And more consid remiss by other med

When now however after remiss patien again applied for relief thought of another trial.

And might afford opport of [witn] cure by means of it.

If not of seeing extent to which migh be given with [impunit].

And finally perhaps of cure or at least remiss by other means after Fern powder had faild.

Now however resolvd on trial in diff manner.

And in place of one dose directed sever.

In place of giving opport for action merely for hour, ordered for some days.

Accord directed repet of dose for five nights success.

By this imag. that full affect of Fern powd might be obt.

And that if really specif or rather pois for this worm might be brough to cond in which capab of being expelld even by action of syst.

Least this howver not the case wishd to [superad] augm of action by means of purgat.

But for this purpose chose to empl purgat which while operated briskly, no effect on any other footing

Accord here directed Tinct of Jallap comb. with simple Syrup.

In this one of most cert & at same time most gentle cathart with which am acquainted.

And to extent of ℥i or even less operates with [illegible]

Here to secure operat [dirced] to ℥ip.

And hoped that if no expuls of worms at least brisk catharsis.

If affect of these med however as tend to cure altog disapp.

Was not sensib of any inconv from fern powder.

And indeed no sensib operat from use

Did not however seem to dimin power of Taenia as keeping place.

For no larger fragm disch. than before

And this even not affectd by addit force for expuls. given by purgat.

Which by way operatd less than might have expectd.

For although whole taken yet accord to acct Cathar. not consid.

In this situat then

At same time nothing to expect from more powerful purgat. operat

In this situat then consid farther trial in pres form as unnecess.

And in place of repet in any other thought of empl a diff med.

For this purp had next recourse to Pulv vel Limat. Stanni.

This also long celeb as Anthel.

Empl. against all diff. kinds of worm

But partic a remed for Taenia.

Cheifly celeb. in some cases by [late] Dr Alston Ednr. Med. Essays.

From these appears that in his pract. had succeed both against Tape & Gourd worm.

That is Taenia & Cucurbit.

With this patient had once before brought off very large fragm.

Again therfore not without [expec] of simil effects from use.

Here however wishd to have opport. of contrast effic with that of Fern powdr.

Ord. therfore admin nearly in [same] manner for equal length of time.

As know however that might be empl. to greater extent with [impun] orderd ℥ii in day.

Now also as formr purgat not prod of desird affect wishd to vary it

But for reasons already assignd still empl. Jallap.

Used it under form of Pulv. Jallap comp.

Not as suppos. that any [pecu] qualit from mode of prepar

But as consid Jallap comb with crem of Tart to be useful combin & very powerf Cathart.

Ordered at first to extent of ℥ip

In this ℥p of Jallap full dose for [adva]

But to secure operat. directed if this had not effect its being cont in small doses.

To extent viz of ℥i more [cont.] Ji of Jallap.

But beyond this did not think that could go without danger of hyper cath

In effects of cathart were not disap.

Operat as full & free as could have wishd.

Yet neithr from this nor Pulv. Stan. any consid fragm disch

While still appear of small fragm left no room to doubt that larger portion remaind.

In this situat during absence from town same remed again repeated in same form

But still with no better affect

At succeeding report therfore [deter] to try anoth pract

And with this view had [recour] to use of Camph.

Camph as far as I know not much empl as Anthelm.

Well known howevr to possess power of act as pois to many of less [perfect] [animal].

And that too in [doses] in which not pernic to hum syst.

From these consid once before led to try it with pres patient.

And there for some time at least with appear good effect.

For in conseq of purgat large portion of Taenia disch.

And that in several parts subj to state of eros of solut

From thence concl. that dead before disch

And that thence in part subj to same changes as other inanim matters in intest.

Hopes not a little corrob. by repet bringing off no more fragm.

And by patient cont. free from sympt for some length of time.

After consid interm however again appear of Taenia.

Yet effect which formerly had suff to encour to future trials.

Here therfore directed empl. to be followed by same purgat as before

But since ordered have seen nothing of patient.

And still therfore [unacquainted] with effects.

If has had effect of [brining] off large fragm shall still persist in use.

And if has not had this effect provided no inconv to patient shall augm dose

And shall wish if can, to give full trial.

If in end disapp. many other meas to which may have [recourse]

And from which at least some prospect of success.

That too both as taken by mouth & used in way of inject.

In former way in partic may have recourse to Gamboge, Aether &e.

In latter to [smoke] or infus of Tobac Lime water or like.

But at same time after artic already used have no great confid or expectat from any of them

And shall be much obliged to any gentleman pres. if can in priv inform me of any pract which has [seen] used with success in simil [cases]

If appear rational or even safe shall be happy to try it.