DEP/DUA/1/27/16 (Transcript version)

Angus Cameron

(1781-1782)

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Angus Cameron.

Affect for which this patient appli for assist. consist but of few sympt

Here also disease as well as in case of Gibson of which last lect in organs & in funct of vision.

But of very diff kind from last mentiond.

And although less obv disease & less pain, yet an affect reduc patien to much more distress. situat.

Here though eyes to appear sound yet patient almost entirly dep of sight.

In so much that capab. of very little more than disting light, from darkness

This affect by no means an unfreq. occurr.

Long known & accur describd, under titles of Amauros. Gutta Serena &e.

This disease with great prop defined by Dr Cullen Visus imminutus vel morsus abolitus sine vilio oculi evidente

To this defin disease of our patient has very exact corresp.

In so much that while applies to this no resemb. to any other affect.

Must be admitted indeed that besides these partic, Dr Cullen has also mentiond, as a very freq occurr, in this affect, dilat & immob. of pupil.

These appear will necess. take place where either total paralysis of fibres contract pup. or tot. insensib of [illegible].

But although neither one no other of these has taken place, to highest degr disease may still well be entit to name of Amauros.

And is merely from circum of their not being perfect insensib. that would acct for want of these app. as well as for patients still retaining some degree of vision.

But if in this case some sympt commonly attend on disease wanting others occurr which not always pres.

This partic the case with respect to frequent convuls. motion of Eyes.

In many inst of Amaur. muscles moving eyes as little affected as those moving either feet or hands.

But in pres case power of will over eye, if not lost, at least very much impaird.

And on many occas, nay almost [const], without any effort of will, subj to very sudden & involunt. motions.

Such contract however well known to be very freq attend of incip [paralyt] state.

Especially when partial with respect to degree as well as extent.

That is when no total abolit either of sense or motion.

Here then consider it merely, as extens of affect to Nerves [distrib] to muscl [when] moving eye, as well as to Optic Nerves.

That is to third as well as to 2^d pair coming directly from brain.

Although therefore app not common yet cannot be consid as in its nature singular.

Besides this anoth partic also to be mentiond as occurr. in pres case

Patient having viz very much of fatuit appear.

State of ment. facul much imp, well known also to be a very freq occur in paralit affect.

Although therefore not markd as common sympt. in Amauros. yet consid also as intim connected with the affect.

And as indic. that disease does not merely depend on affect compress of nerves in course, but on compress affect at origin Brain itself.

This then idea as to pres compl. of patient.

And from view given will readily suppose that expectat of cure could not be great.

But besides circum mentiond many others also against patient.

Affect well known to be one of those in its nature in genr. incurab.

With our patient had already cont for very long time.

From early infan to age of 20.

Arose also from a cause often prod very obstin affect of this kind viz [fever].

[All] these circum so very unfav, that must own had very little hope.

As applied for assist however, was willing to make some trials.

And the rather as wishd for opport of employing in this affect a remed which have never used in it, from which neither danger nor inconven to be appreh.

The remed to which I allude is Cicuta.

On what princip may be supposed to act in this affect must own at a loss to say.

But informed of one case by a very accur. observ. Dr Crawford of Lond. in which employm in Amauros. attended with best effects.

This therfore without any regard to theory, reckon suffic inducem to trial in other cases.

And was from this reason that prescr. for pres patient.

But as [has] never returnd since first med given, have been dep of that trial which wishd.

This however less to be regreted as in his case very little prosp of cure by any means.

And although had faild in pres inst, may succeed in others.

Therefore take this opport of mention it as a remed which from having been once used with success, deserves future trial.