DEP/DUA/1/32/20 (Transcript version)

Ann Brodie

1783

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Ann Brodie. June 19^th 1783.

In case of this patient have not a very num collect of sympt.

And these such as in comm. to sever. diff. diseases.

Those most distress to her, sense of coldness, & flying pains espec. about praecord.

These however obs. to be much aggrav. by emotions of mind.

And always we are told connectd with great depress of spirits.

From these partic led I think to form a probab. conject, as to nature

And have little diff. in pron. disease of patient to be an hyst. affec

Cannot indeed to consid as corresp to defin of hyst. given by nosol writers.

But in these syst. definit given only of prop. hyst. fit

And well known to every one engag in pract. that this neither only nor indeed most comm. form which the disease puts on.

With those at times liab. to most distinct markd fits, a great variety of othr sympt often app. evid const part of same disease.

And these sympt. freq. even without any prop. fits.

Thus that very common & inded charact sympt. so much insisted upon by Dr Sydenh. the Clavus Hyster. not a constit of fits.

This disease then with view to pract, may be consid as app. undr two diff. forms.

Hyster fits viz or Hyster. Symp

And in case before us have exam of this disease in latter state.

To this affect howevr accord to account given us our patient has not been long subj.

And have little doubt in adopting her own opin, that to be attrib to an accid aborts, to which subj some months ago.

Not indeed [informed] in hyst. whether this abort. was or was not attended with any consid haemorrh.

But from what commonly attends abort some reason at least to presume that this was the case.

And certain that no cause has a more powerf. influ than abort. in reducing female syst. to weak & irrit state

From this view of the disease at pres at least inclind to fav. Progn

For while be of recent date had not prev. to her coming undr our care resisted the use of any powerful remed.

And as arising from an accid occur. could not be viewd of same obstin nature as if founded in constit.

Here therefore not without hopes that affect may in no long time be moder. & in the end even compl. overcome.

This the rather to be expected if shall again fall preg. & if pregn. keeps natural & usual course.

If however on othr hand subj. to repeated abort. reason to fear a contrary concl.

And these, in all probab, will have more influ. in aggrav. the affect, than any remed. we can empl. in counteract it.

To aborts however no doubt that disp encr. by having before taken place.

And with women once sub to it will afterwards be induced by accid which otherwise would have no influ.

This circum then [illegible ] fav. hopes we have expressd, at least somwhat against patient.

At same time reason to flatter ourselves that by prop. care on [part] of pat. such an event may be prev.

And with view to such prev as well as remov. of pres. sympt. some of pract hitherto empl. have been directed.

Began you will obs. by prescr for this patient the Pil. Foetid.

A compos. consist of equal parts of Assa foetid & Soap.

From this hoped that in conseq of pecul impress on stomach should obt. allev. of diff nerv. sympt.

And that might not only obv. flyin pains referrd to alim canal, but also cough & dysp. which likewise disposed to view as being nerv. symp.

With intent of allev. these, Assafoe in diff forms every day in use.

And in many, nay in most inst. best effect at least for some time

Besides this expected also that would have some influ as moving belly.

For no doubt that with most people Assafoet at least [cause] [tenden] to encr. peristal. motion

In this way howevr from very few gr. at bed time could expect no consid effect.

And was under no appreh. that [would] be prod of any inconv. from operat as a purgat.

In this however disapp.

For at first at least, though belly formerly costive did more than could have wishd.

This however imagind on very short habit would cease.

And accord at succeeding report found to have no more than effect of keeping belly gently open.

But though costiv obv. Assafoetid seemd to have but little influ in counteract other sympt.

With contin of use therefore though also of conj. empl of Peruv. Bark.

As counteract irritab. connected with weakness few artic more useful.

And partic benef. both as obv. conseq of abort, & prod that state of syst. which will prev. return.

Here therfore in this circum an addit inducem to use.

As most effect mode of giving it directed exhib in subst.

But that might not disturb. stom empl only small doses, to extent viz. of two scrupl. in twice the day.

Since began this med, most of sympt much dimin

Partic pains & sense of coldness.

Reason therefore to hope that by prop contin may be removed.

And have accordingly at last report directed that shall persist in use in same manner.

Still howevr find it necess. to contin pills as means of obv. cost.

For when accid. omitted for few days bound state of belly again returnd.

And that too although from single five gr pill without any aloes had in gener. two stools every day.

Now therfore have directed that a pill should be taken only every second night.

And from this conj. with Peruv. Bark contin perhaps even encr. am hopeful that affect may be overcome.

If however after fair trial are in this disapp. may then direct cold bathing or such other practice as situat of patient shall at that time seem to indic.