DEP/DUA/1/26/05 (Transcript version)

Margaret McLeod

(1780)

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Margt McLeod

Sympt enum in this case very far from being uncommon.

But at same time assemb. [such] a cannot be consid to constit any partic disease.

Sickness vertigo & palpitat occur in great variety of affect.

While dysp. & cough though indic affect of breast may proceed also from various causes.

And here neither const, nor when occurring do they take place to such degree as to give lead feat to disease

If to judge from sympt alone then at loss as to name.

But when consider origin of comp little doubt as to the affect.

Are informd in hist of case that compl first began on obstr to natural menst disch.

And that this now near 12 month ago took place in conseq of exp to cold.

In this obst. then come naturally to inquire for origin of whole affect.

In such cases many obs. that too circum freq occur giving great diffic.

1 The false alleg of obstr. from accid causes when proceeds from other circum

2. The supposit that want of [men] cause, when in reality only conseq of affect.

With respect to first often pretendd that obst. of menses from cold when in reality from pregn.

And other circum feignd to fav suppos from hopes that abort. may be obt. by means empl. for rest of disch

Hence then pract often under great diffic in what manner to act.

But in case before us no ground for suspic of this kind.

Our patient a married woman & as long as could entert suspic of pregn would have been glad of it.

But obst without any other sym of pregn had now cont for 12 months

A period remov every possib idea of mist on part of patient.

If here however no doubt from first circum as little room for it from second.

Is indeed true that many cases where menses obst. in conseq of other diseases.

But here prior to obst. taking place patient in perfect health.

Even now subj to no disease which can be consid as having influ in this way.

And at same time while prop idiopath ammen. prod of almost infin variety of sympt. these here taking place very freq. conseq.

Have little hesit then in pron it to be inst of prop idiopath amenorr.

And from diff circum of case no reason to flatter ourselves that will be slight or easily remov.

Has not indeed it is true hitherto resist many powerful artic in way of med.

But to be obs. that organ here to be acted upon in great meas out of reach.

And that many artic once supp to afford very effect cure now demonst to be of no avail.

In so much that some consid affect as totally incur by any other means than restorat of gener. health where defect.

But besides what applic in ordin cases is much against restor that already wanting for 12 months

During that period reason to appreh that uterine vessels subj to consid change.

For here no reason to susp that as in [obsr] from pregn due flow of blood through vessels supp or encreasd.

Is also against pat. that has cont. so long obst. with married womn.

For whethr from orgas vener. or any other cause obst. unless from pregn less common than in [illegible] state.

And I own that from this circum joind to length of time expect of recov not great.

Should have even thought more fav of case if sympt ind from obst. had been more distress.

And partic if period return of distent fullness & uneasiness at region of uter [with] [vacar.] evac.

From all these partic taken togeth shall not be surp. if patien sees no more of disch although yet but at 30 year.

And in that [illegible] pres sympt grad dimin may altog cease & patient have no more uneas from want.

Still however in pres situat [allays] for restor may be empl.

And among various means prop some at least which may be tried without hazard.

Operat of emmen. very diff expl. accord to ideas entert of nature of affect

For my own part am inclind to think that obt. always ultim proceed from one of three causes

Want of due accum of blood in uterine vessels.

Want of due action of uterus for expuls of that blood.

Or lastly praeternat obstr. to passage of blood into cavit of uterus or by vagina.

To each partic case, cure must be accomod.

But if opin well founded are to look for restor. either by prom accum of blood, by [undue] action of uterus or by remov of obstr.

Is I imagine on these princip that action of Emmen may be expl.

And on these can acct for success of most oppos artic in diff circum

Where cause of [obt] asert. can with greater [pos] of success employ means of cure.

But often no circum on which can found even prob conject.

And even admitting suppos of patient, that affect here arises from cold, this I am inclind to think, is the case in inst before us.

Hence then in attempts to cure must have recourse to trial of diff meas.

With pres patient have begun treatm by direct a pract in which I own I have more confid that alm any other.

That is the use of Electricity

This a mode of cure compar, [speak] but of late date for medic purp

But unquest a very powerful agent on human body.

And since first introd employm extend of great variety of diff affect.

Perhaps none however in which has more freq succeeded than in cases of Amennorh.

And on princip already stated good effects may I think be acct for.

Elect. well known to be powerful means of excit action of vessels in part.

In so much that sparks drawn from part will induce even inflam & vesic.

In this manner then from act on uterine vessels may renew & encr. accumul circulat in these & by this mean give rise to due accumul. when want.

But if influ in this way still more as affect state of action in uterus.

Well known that electric often means of restor power of action when lost

And that often serves immed to induce action even where other stim incap of prod effect.

This partic remark in case of anim newly killd.

There after all other chemic or mechan stim ceases to have effect. yet by electric shock whole musc thrown into convuls.

Is as induc such action I appreh that to acct for effect of elect. shock through uter. as in some inst immed giving rise

And of such an occurr. there are at least some unquest inst.

There however there must have exist not only prev condit of uterus for action but also prev accum of blood in uterine vessels.

Hence then not surp. that should be but rare occurr.

And although thus fails may yet afterwards succeed.

Dr Webster delay

Both as restor accum & as giving power of action.

On these prin then here directed electric & have hitherto persisted in use.

And although yet prod of no benefite yet shall persist in use till has had fair trial.

And this I think not to be obt. till has been contin through one or more compl. ment periods.

If fails meas afterwards to be tried must be accom to circum at time.

But if no obj occurs have next thoughts of giving full & fair trial to Rubia Tinct.

And if succeeds after Elect has faild will I own led me to hold more fav opin of effic than at pres. X