DEP/DUA/1/22/10 (Transcript version)

Alexander McBain

(1779-1780)

---

Alexr McBain.

Case as well as that of Du McGregor of which lately occas to speak manif exampl of interm.

At time when came under our care of Quotid. type.

Not always in this state from com

Had subsist from month of August.

And had been observd both in Tertian & Quartan fom.

A circum which consid as well as many others to afford evid that diff kinds of interm to be viewd merely as varieties of same genus.

But without [resting] any thing on type, when consid durat & obstin with which has resist diff remed. can hav no doubt in consid it as very [illegible ] [illegible ].

Is not like last case prod of this place

But accord to acct brought from fenny counties where passed autm in Harv.

From these diff circum, joind to season of year no reason to hope for very ready cure.

For spring well known one of [periods] when interm most prev.

Vernal interm indeed upon whole less danger than autum.

By some even esteemd healthful.

For this opin however probab very little found in any case.

Cert. none when interm has contin from autumn to spring.

Notwith contin howevr in pres case no very alarm sympt.

And partic no indic of those superv. affect. from which in gener fatal when such an event occurrs.

To this to be added that perhaps few diseases against which possess more [powrf] remed.

Hope therfore that may soon be able to mitig & at length overcome it.

At same time soon after seeming cure cannot be surpriz at return.

Espec if prev easterly winds with fogs so common in months of April & May set in early.

Must here however be obj of pract in as far as able to counteract influ

In treat have hitherto followed what may be calld common course in interm.

Emet viz & Peruv Bark

Effic as curing this disease well know

But on what princip operates must own consider as not yet expl in satisf [illegible ].

After what lately said need not again repeat sentim on subject

After Emet by way of preparat began bark in repeated small doses.

And from these although fever before of quotid type had complic interm for sever days.

Notwith regul contin however again returned.

And after persist in use for forthn with repet of Emet, no other advan than change of type.

In place of quotid now again as form assumed that of Quartan.

In this situat thought it at least advis to alter mode of admin.

And in place of repeatd small doses to try effect of larger quantity at once.

With this intent directed ℥i for simple dose

That is to be taken within space of hour.

Was with view of prev. sickness & that might sit more easily on stom that added proport of Cinnam.

With respect to time directed exhib very soon before parox.

As accord to opin of some pract at least then greatest influ.

And although for my own part not inclind to adopt that sentim yet after failure of other consid as meriting trial.

Was taken as directed at least withou any great inconven.

And although some sickness at stom yet whole retaind.

Succeeding parox. however went on without any inconven. alterat.

But without any farther med, although not entirely yet in great meas. [illegible ] foll.

Can be little doubt then that P. B. both now & formerly has had influ.

And if after this mode of exhib no return may in some degree be consid as shewing effic of large quantit at time

Perhaps also of exhib immed before fit.

But in fav either of one or other is by no means a conclus fact.

For something I appreh to be attrib. to Bark before employd.

And from mere quantity in any way might look for good effects.

On othr hand if here fails equaly little conclus against it.

For although not adeq to cure may yet have done more than equal [qua] of bark in any other form or at any other time.

To determ more cert. extent of effect at last report omittd use

And directed bitter infus with arom merly with view of preserv advant obt.

If no return of fitt shall reckon it necess to cont. this for some length of time.

For without prop meas even supp cure compl., can hardly expect that at this season will avoid relapse.

If does return either now or afterwards is intent next to try Bark to equal extent either immed or soon after parox.

And if this also unsuccess. shall despair at pres at least of being able to obt cure by Bark.

In that case will be led to have recourse to some other meas.

Partic those suggested in case of Mr Gray

Such for exampl as Garlic, Corros. Sublim. White or even Blue Vitriol.

But from effect which Bark has already had, some ground for hoping that such meas may not be necess.

And that by this with aid of other vegetab. & aromat patient may at length be restord to health.

Although indeed not without greater diffic than in case of most interm which prod of this part of Country.