DEP/DUA/1/28/20 (Transcript version)

George Bathy

(1781-1782)

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George Bathy.

In case of this infant sympt not numerous.

And very little doubt that all these connected togeth.

Most obv. & distress part of affect [consis] in severe looseness.

And while stools to extent of 10 or 12 every day were not only accomp with tenesm but with prolap. ani.

An occurr by no means uncomm with infants.

But when taking place always very uneasy.

And tend not a little to support [other] affect partic looseness.

Which howver much more freq. the cause, than conseq of such an appear.

And this had little doubt in consid to be case in pres inst.

But view Diarrh as cause of prolap. yet still subj of inquiry whether idiopa or merly sympt of some other affect.

Here two diff circum to which some grounds for susp. that might be attrib.

viz. Dentition & Worms.

Both one & other at early life well known to be cause of looseness.

In pres. case, besides looseness some other sympt also, consid as indic pres of worms.

Partic picking of nose & grind of teeth

These however sympt, which althou may arise from worms, often also from other causes.

Worms when pres, gener. induce often other sympt, gener induce other sympt partic gripes or vorac. appet.

Seldom that prod of any consid affect, for space of month, without some being disch.

These partic, alone then, suffic to lead us to concl. that were not cause of pres affect.

But to all these still anoth obj in age of patient.

For although much more common at early than late periods of life, yet very rare occur in early infan.

And for my own part have never met with example at early period of few months old, which age of patien when first affect. with pres. compl.

Hence then notwith looseness comb with picking of nose, grind of teeth &e, have little hesit in concl. that worm no share as ind. the affect.

And would even consid this case as afford some evid that from pres of these sympt, exist of worms cannot with just be infered.

With respect to other suppos. that viz of teething cannot speak so pos. evid much slighter

Well known that from this cause many danger. sympt indu with infants.

And these too not unfreq prov. fatal.

Among others distress. Diarrh one of most common

And besides occurring at time when teething most distress. during course sever. teeth had app.

From these circum then rend probab. no doubt that teething had at least som share as induc the affect.

And this the rather as when cough most severe there was from app of gums, reason to presum that teeth ready to gut gums cut them.

While farther evid of irrit. these afforded, from being freq obs. to put finger in mouth

From all these circum taken togeth was I own doubtful whether disp to inferr this might not be prin cause of affect.

At same time to be obs. that from hist of case had evid of affect of alim canal, much earlier than teethin

For are told that from time of birth till 5 months old much distressd with vomiting.

This indeed at that period of life, to some degree, a very comm sympt with infants.

But when excess. as app to have happend here, always indic pecul irritab. of alim canal.

And from this circum was I own disp to pres. suspect that pres affect in some degree from sam cause.

Of this opin am now more convincd than before from termin which affect had under our care.

For without any

And notwith termin which has now had, still some doubt whether this was not in part the case.

At same time interval of health for some months, against the suppo

And still more the speedy & consid relief, which patient had on sever teeth being cut, after came under our care

Upon whole then now disp to view it as sympt diarrh arising from worm

From same straining also would acct for bloody app in stools

This then idea as to natu of aff

And to consider prolap. ani as as conseq of severe straining in tenesm with tender state of bowels.

>+

Or if to give name to affect would with Mr Sauv. term it Diarrh a denti

And here deserves to be remarkd that in descr. this species ment that often attend with many of those symp which occur from worms.

With this view of name & nature of disease prognos more fav than if had consid as idiopath diarrh.

For on cutting of teeth as cause thus removed, had reason to hope for speedy recov.

But as this event has already taken place farther obs. on Progn now unnecess.

And remains only to make few observ on pract here empl.

Consid disease as effect of teething evid that cure to be lookd for only from operat of syst. itself.

For teething one of those processes of nature which have it not in our power to forward.

In some inst indeed as where convul or like occurr advant from cutting gum, above tooth.

From which however, benef arising, perhaps more to be attrib to cutting irrit nerve, than to forward prog of tooth

This however unless against very urgent sympt. seldom pract.

And as far as I know never against looseness from teething.

In this, as indeed in most cases, where [dentit] the cause of disease, sole obj to mitig sympt.

And in treatm followed with this patient aimd at nothing farther.

Prescript to which had here first recourse the Confect or Elect Japon dissolvd in water, & sweetned with small due prop of sugar.

Need hardly observe that in this [comp] the prin ingred the Terra or Suc. Japon.

An artic now determ with cert to be a veget extract prep. from a spec of the Mimosa.

And which very improp esteemd earth merely from app. which it acquires from kilns in which prep.

In this artic have a powerful asting qualit comb. with mild veget mucil.

In so much that where wish for gent restr disch partic from alim cana few more prop.

And accord in diff forms long in use

Now perhaps even more empl than ever.

Form here directed has long had place in Pharmac.

And although diff appell. yet no great change on prin ingred.

These whether title of Diascord Confect Japon. Elect Japon or any other much the same

With Terra Japon as basis diff arom as Cinnam & Nutmeg conj.

And to these added a proport of Opium

In pres. formula in Pharm however besides Suc. Japon anoth powerf. [astrin] the G. Kino.

Nearly indeed to same extent as Suc Japon.

And was on acct of this conj. that gave it here the pref. to simple infus of Suc. Japon.

From this med the Elect Japon have in former pract often found best effects partic with inf as restr. looseness.

And from astring & opiate conj. may natur expect best effects both as dimin disch into intest & counteract tend to inordin action.

In effects here were not disapp.

For from commen of use, looseness somewhat abated.

But while persisted in employm sever. teeth compl. cut.

And to this I own, [fall] more than to med, was disp to attrib mitig of sympt.

Notwith both howevr, tenesm & prolapsus ani still distress.

From this led not only to contin med but to encreas prop. of opiate.

Under this affect soon so far remv that reckond farther attend unnecss.

And although consid med prescr as having had some influ in mitig sympt. yet look upon cure as having been conseq of cutting of teeth.