DEP/DUA/1/31/06 (Transcript version)

James Wilson

(1782-1783)

---

James Wilson

This patient but short time under our care.

And affect not very import.

Such as it was however almost entirely an obvious compl.

For while there took place, an evid cutan erupt. almost all funct contin in natural state.

Erupt which here took place not extended over whole body but conf. entirely to left side partic to left shoulder.

But during course & at commen. as far as can learn entirely without febrile sympt.

Hence then no danger of [confounding] it with those erupt. diseases, [where] such affect. occur as it were in stile of crisis.

For from hist of case evid app that cannot be ascribed to fish diet, a cause to which such affect often attrib.

Of diffic in giving accurate name to such affect have already had occas to speak.

To pres. consider term of [hepet] erupt as most applicab.

With regard to cause to which to be attrib must own much at loss

For can hardly consider it as conse of fish diet to which patient himself disp to attrib it

Not indeed that would deny influ of fish diet as induc cutan affect

But these either conseq of long contin habit, or of immed action on some stom as in case of partic shell fish.

In both however app. very diff from what occurr in pres. case.

But whatever cause inducing it, app most probab. suppos. that depended on state of action of cutan vessels at part.

And on this idea opin of [termin] as well as plan of treatm proceeded.

When came under our care sever. circum from which reason to look for speedy termin.

Affect had taken place only in very partial manner.

Was not attended with any [markd] indic consid affect of syst.

But above all was of short durat. & had not resist any mode of cure empl. for remov.

On these grounds then expected speedy & success. terminat.

But must own should not have been surp. if had [run] on to greater length than was realy the case.

And may even say that termin sooner than expected.

How far this to be attrib to pract. here employd is next our business to enquire

Here remedies used not very num.

On idea given of affect that depended viz on state of action in cutan vessels of partic part cure chiefly to be expected by external applic.

And from evid dispos to inflam. cheifly to be [lood] for from those dimin action

But from applic of this kind [chane] induced in mode of circul. could not fail to be consid.

Especially when consid state of disch from affected part.

Would therefore have been imprud. to have had recourse to extern applic without compensat by some other outlett.

Accord prev to any other pract had recourse to Cream of Tart as a gentle refrig cathart & diuret

From this alone had reason to expect good conseq.

For from these efforts might look for dimin of encreased action at superfic vessels.

Here however cannot attrib much to it in that way.

For besides that never given to such extent as to prod any obv. operat, even at first report had recourse also to anoth remed.

External lotion viz with a saturn prepart. the solut of Sach. Saturn

This reckon one of most powerful artic with which am acquainted for allaying encr. action of vessels.

Influ in this way partic exemp in cases of burning or scalding by hot water.

There from applic to part influ as allaying inordin action exempl. in most immed case, from excruc pain

In same manner expected that would dimin action in pres. inst.

And accord after very short [applic] affect very consid dimin.

While this case however, Cream of Tart, had no obv effect in mov. belly.

And although no bad conseq. had taken place yet reckoned it prop. to anticip these by more consid evac.

Had therefore recourse to Glaub salt, as substit for Crem of Tart.

And after few doses of these conj. with former course, affect soon entirely removed.

An event which I think may with justice in some meas at leas, be ascribd to pract here empl.

At same time consider it as more owing to slightness of disease & to tendency even to natural recov.