DEP/DUA/1/23/05 (Transcript version)

Susan Tait

(1780)

---

Considing Scroph as sole disease, Progn may be less unfav. than if supposd complic to exist.

Yet still cannot with confid prom speedy cure.

Well known that very gener. this affect of most obstin nature

And indeed by many consid as among [opprob.] medic. in which all endeav. of little avail.

Obstin partic to be dreaded with pres. patient when consider extent to which has already gone at very early period of life

And indeed from these circum cannot be entirely free from appreh of danger.

Yet upon whole appears under form in which in gener. more troubles than fatal.

Hope therefore that although may not be able to obt fav conclus may yet bring about allev of affect.

Or at least as accomp such remov. taking place in syst from other causes.

From what said of disease will natur be concl. that with view to cure meas to be directed both to eyes themselves, & to constit in gener.

To the eyes themselves meas to be directed with view of counteract inflam & its conseq.

But partic swelling & ulceration.

If much however depends on counteract local affect, perhaps still more on counteracting what may be calld Scroph Hab

And this matter of very great diffic.

For am inclind to think that is as yet by no means acert. on what morbid condit of syst. Scroph. depends.

Unden. however that sometimes [natur] cure by spont. evacuat. Probab oper. as removing obstruct.

>+

Sometimes by patient arriv at certain age.

Probab. operating as giving giving vigour to system.

While again reason to presum that the evac have oper. as remov. obstruct.

In imit of these natural cure artif plans instit

And although not always [some] at least success.

Is from combin dilut with evac that would acct for benef derivd from drinking min or salt water.

While again as tonic would expl. advant result. from cold bathing.

And am inclind to think that from these more advant. have been derivd in Scroph, than from all other pract put together.

Yet where from partic circum inadmissab. recourse had to other analog. meas.

And these have at least been sometimes success.

Must however add that cure would seem to have been sometimes obt by med with operat of which unacquainted.

Remarks however now offered will in some meas at least expl. prin. on which have proceeded on pract hitherto directed.

And those also which have here after in view for pres. patient.

Of these then next to speak.

Although topic Blood letting & drain under form of issue, had here been employd without relief yet cannot help consid these as promising great immed advant.

Was therefore with view to immed mitig of inflammat that dir. leeches.

Hoped that from this some relif might be obt. while meas empl. for radic cure.

And with latter view, considing age of patient, as well as state to which already reduced, expected more from tonics than from evacuants.

Was therefore on this ground that here determ on trial of Peruv. Bark.

In order however to have full effect necess that should be given in subst.

And for introd in this manner with patients at early life [taste] must be covered.

For this purpose had here recourse to solut of [Extr] of Liquor.

Of many artic prop for covering taste hold it to be best.

While well suited also for diffus & [susp] in water.

On this course then if med readily taken & if no partic obj. to it, meant to contin patient for some length of time.

To leeches again employd as tempor meas, if prod of desired affect should have occas had recourse.

But although bled freely, did not give patient that relief which was expected.

From this then led to have [recour] to other meas for immed relief.

Now expect more from sedat [appli] to affected parts than from dimin of impet of circulat.

Is with this view that have now directed solut of Sal. Saturn.

That in saline prepar of lead, we have very powerful & pecul sedat no one will deny.

Accord. in many inst of topic inflam, partic where affect superf. prod of aston affects.

Long therefore in common use in Ophthalm

And where to be used, no form perhap preferab to simp watery solut of Sal

Here therefore have I own some expect. from it.

But have not yet been able to use it with this patient in manner I could wish.

In order to obt full effects applic requird for some length of time.

This however not to be had from simple lotion

And is but ill remedied, by appl it, as may be done with advant to many other parts, under form of poult. with bread.

For in this case, applied to eye lash only.

For best method of applying this as well as some other colyr. are I think indebted to French Surgeons.

Have contrivd cup very exactly shaped to eye in which that organ may be topic bathed.

This method may be not merely used with common water but also with other more active [impreg].

And although in this manner have no experi of applic of saturn solut, yet cannot help thinking that promise pecul advant.

To this method therefore as soon as patient can be provided with prop cup intend to have recourse

And for this purpose blister already directed may be kept open.

And hope that while serves to allev. sympt most immed urgent, some benef. may be derivd from Bark as counteracting Scroph. habit.

This then course begun, & unless prev. by circum mean to contin for some time with pres patient.

If in end unsuccess. expect of being of service still less than at pres.

Still however both with view to Opthal & Scroph. may try other meas.

May again have recourse to drain under form of blister or issue.

>+

May try extern some emollient or even some stim ointm.

And have here some thoughts of having recourse to one lately recom to be me in such cases by very able pract of this place

A combin of Hogs Lard with a small propor of Aloes.

To use of this ointm he was first led from obs. it empl. with advant by itin empyr

With view to Scrophul may have recourse to miner tonics.

Partic to Sal. Ment. Calx of Zinc or like combind with absorb. powd.

And if none of advant shall probab. dismiss patient with [recourse] to trial of Sea bathing.

From which even after all other trials unsuccess., advant may be obtaind.

If patient not thus relieved only remaining chance of cure, is I think from progress of life.

But if this to be case cannot here expect to have any chance of observ. it.

Yet hope that may be able to dismiss patient if not cured, at least somewhat relievd in conseq of meas already suggested.